


The Sustainability Initiative

by Iciseria



Category: Final Fantasy VII, Final Fantasy VII Remake (Video Game 2020)
Genre: AU, Anal Play, Blindfolds, Bondage, F/M, M/M, Medical Kink, Multi, Non-Consensual Spanking, Not Canon Compliant, Oral Sex, Rape/Non-con Elements, Rough Sex, Yaoi
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-04-17
Updated: 2020-06-29
Packaged: 2021-03-01 22:01:53
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: Rape/Non-Con
Chapters: 9
Words: 34,924
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/23704303
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Iciseria/pseuds/Iciseria
Summary: Cloud reports for duty to the lab after receiving orders to be part of Shinra's "Sustainability Initiative."This is an alternate universe fic.  Cloud is in SOLDIER.  Let's assume parts of Crisis Core happened - specifically some things regarding AGS (referenced/explained as we go along).  The plot is thin, at best, but there is smut in each chapter. The chapter descriptions took up too many characters, so I'll just list the pairings and vague descriptors of smut style below for anybody that's looking solely for the explicit factorChapter 1: Cloud/minor OC/Seph - medical kinkChapter 2: Seph/Tifa - viciousChapter 3: Seph/Cloud - viciousChapter 4: Seph/Cloud - viciousChapter 5: Tifa/Cloud - consensualChapter 6: Cloud/Seph - self-pleasure (interrupted)Chapter 7: Cloud/Seph/minor Genesis - unsure how to describe, hurt/comfort maybe? teachable moment?Chapter 8: Cloud/Seph - ...less intense smut? I guess?Chapter 9: Cloud/Seph/Gen - consensual, light bondage
Relationships: Cloud Strife/Original Female Character(s), Sephiroth/Cloud Strife, Tifa Lockhart/Cloud Strife, Tifa Lockhart/Sephiroth
Comments: 65
Kudos: 155





	1. Report for Initial Exam

**Author's Note:**

> Later "installments" will likely contain much less MedFet than chapter 1 unless specifically requested, but it felt like a good excuse of a place to start.

“The Sustainability Initiative”

Cloud handed over his assignment paperwork to the woman at the reception counter. She glanced over it, hit a few buttons on the keyboard, and instructed him to take a seat in the waiting area. While he waited, Cloud contemplated what exactly this assignment might entail. As a newer member of SOLDIER, he was familiar with vague initial instructions, which typically described a time and location to report for duty with few additional details provided until after arrival. However, this was the first time he had been asked to report to the lab.

“C. Strife?” a woman called from a side door. Upon Cloud’s approach, she held out a key. “Please place your weapons and materia in locker 12 here. You may keep your key with you.”

Despite being a bit wary of separating himself from the tools of his trade, Cloud locked up his belongings and followed the woman down the hall. Peering into open doors as they passed, the young SOLDIER surmised this must be some sort of medical facility within the lab. It appeared they were walking by basic exam rooms, and after a short walk, he was directed into one of them. “The examiner will be in with you shortly. While you’re waiting, please change into the gown provided. A warm blanket is also available for your comfort,” the woman instructed.

Cloud glanced around the room once he was alone. Was he embarking on a mission that required medical clearance prior to approval? After a brief hesitation, he followed the instructions given, taking a seat on the exam table and draping the blanket over his lap. It wasn’t long before he heard a knock at the door, and the examiner stepped in. She was young, slender, with dark hair pulled back tightly.

“Cloud Strife? SOLDIER First Class?”

He nodded, blonde spikes bouncing lightly.

“Thank you for reporting. I’m Dr. Kitsuri. I see you have been selected to participate in Shinra’s Sustainability Initiative, which is why you’re here today.”

“Never heard of it,” he replied.

“As you know, the exposure to Mako that SOLDIERs undergo in training results in improved strength, stamina, and healing capabilities. However, with rapid cell generation, the potential for genetic mutation arises, and we’ve found that an increasing number of individuals are developing aggressive cancers. Essentially, we have too many SOLDIERs succumbing to illness with too few potential candidates coming in to replace them. As such, we’re instituting measures to help ensure the sustainability of the SOLDIER force, including early, consistent screening measures and related research. As a member of First Class, you have already proven to be one of Shinra’s most ideal physical specimens and therefore a likely fit for this initiative. Today we’ll be performing some testing along with a complete exam to monitor your health and assess you as a potential candidate. Any questions?”

Overwhelmed by the information, Cloud shook his head. “I guess not.”

“Great, then we’ll get started with a set of vital signs and some labs.”

The examiner set to work, wrapping the young SOLDIER’s muscular bicep with a cuff and inflating it to the point of being barely painful before slowly releasing the pressure until Cloud could feel blood surging back into his hand. He flexed and extended his fingers, bringing feeling back to them. Delicately, the young woman grasped his wrist, holding for a short while before sliding a bedside table close and resting his hand on it. Cloud looked away when the tourniquet bit into his arm.

“Not a fainter are you?” the examiner questioned.

“No. I… no,” mumbled Cloud. Mako exposure protocols had created a dislike of needles with all cadets during training, he was certain. He felt a coolness in his antecubital, and the smell of alcohol burned his nostrils, making his stomach turn. A sharp inhale passed his lips as the needle pierced his skin. He focused on slow, deep breaths. He could hear the gentle click of each vial being placed back on the metallic table. Slow, deep breaths. After an uncounted eternity of seconds passed, he felt the needle withdraw, replaced by the gentle pressure of cotton.

“Lab pickup room 12,” the examiner said. Cloud realized she must have been talking into an intercom device because less than a minute later, an assistant knocked at the door, whisking the vials away.

Meanwhile, Dr. Kitsuri began to examine him, first shining a bright light into his stark blue, Mako-touched eyes. She pulled gently on each earlobe, directing a scope into his ear canals. Cloud couldn’t suppress a slight shudder at the sensation. Physical contact was rare for SOLDIER members unless they were in the heat of battle, so gentle touch seemed strange and unfamiliar.

“Open your mouth, and stick your tongue out,” she requested. Feeling ridiculous, he did so, but he gagged uncomfortably when she placed the wooden depressor against his tongue.

“Sorry, I…”

“No need to be sorry. Everything’s checking out fine so far,” she smiled. 

She began gently palpating under his jawline, pressing against either side of his neck and down along his collarbone. Cloud was becoming grateful for the weight and cover of the blanket he had been offered. Her touch was warm and delicate, stirring an unwelcome, though not altogether unpleasant, response. She lightly lifted each arm, probing deep into his axilla, feeling for swollen nodes. Fixing her stethoscope to her ears, Dr. Kitsuri placed the cold bell against Cloud’s well-defined back and instructed him to breathe deeply. Cloud focused on the slow, deep breaths again, willing away the physical stirrings.

“Alright Cloud. I need you to lie back for me,” directed the examiner. “We’ll keep you covered with the blanket, but I’m going to pull up your gown a bit.”

Cloud adjusted himself accordingly and bunched the blanket around his hips to provide additional cover if necessary. He didn’t like being supine. It felt too vulnerable, especially for an elite fighter. 

“Tell me if anything hurts,” Dr. Kitsuri said. She pressed deeply into his toned abdomen, feeling around thoroughly in each quadrant. When she was apparently satisfied, she addressed Cloud again. “Now, odd as it may seem, I’m going to perform a brief breast exam on you. In the standard population, breast cancer is very rare in males, but we’ve seen it in several SOLDIERs lately.”

Cloud’s face warmed as the examiner’s hands found their way beneath his gown. Her fingers ran deftly over his chest, and he shivered as they grazed his hardening nipples. Embarrassed, Cloud looked to the side, pointedly avoiding eye contact with the young woman. Upon completing the exam, she pulled the SOLDIER’s gown back into place.

“I’m not finding any problems so far Cloud. Due to continuous cell generation in the genitourinary tract, we see a large number of cancers with reproductive origins, so that’s really the last part of today’s exam. Tell me, do you perform regular testicular self-exams?”

Cloud’s blood ran cold. This was too much. His heart dropped into his stomach, and he stuttered for a moment, unable to think quite straight. “No, but… I…”

“It’s really something they need to recommend during training. We’ll check today, but it’s something easily monitored on your own and is typically treatable if caught early. Protocol demands I call for a chaperone, so a second provider will be stepping in shortly,” she addressed before speaking into whatever intercom system she had accessed before. “Overseer, room 12.”

Cloud clenched a hand into a tight fist. He looked everywhere, anywhere, but at the examiner as she fussed with something at the foot of the exam table. He wanted into his clothes and out of this room. But he was SOLDIER. This was his given assignment, his duty.

“Cloud, I want you to put your feet here,” Dr. Kitsuri said, gesturing to… were those stirrups? Oh ancients, they were. He raked his hand through his hair and sighed heavily before grudgingly obeying. Slow, deep breaths. He focused on breathing as the examiner folded down the foot of the exam table. Digging his fingernails into his palms, he stared at the ceiling. He could hear her rolling a stool between his feet and feel the blanket being pushed up toward his knees. He concentrated on keeping his mind blank.

A knock sounded at the door, and Cloud flinched, jarred out of his attempted meditation. He tried to bring his feet down, even though he wouldn’t be visible from the doorway. Long, silver hair was the first thing he noticed flowing around the door’s edge. He sat up, his lips parting in surprise.

“Dr. Kitsuri,” a deep voice rumbled from the tall, black-clad newcomer as he stepped into the room. “Cloud Strife. Please, Cloud, do lie back. Pay me no mind. I am simply stepping in to chaperone or assist Dr. Kitsuri as necessary. I, too, am involved with the Sustainability Initiative.” The “overseer” closed the door and stood in front of it, arms crossed over his chest.

Sephiroth. The epitome of all things SOLDIER. Elite to his core. Rumor had labeled him “the one-winged angel.” Sephiroth was here to witness Cloud’s already mounting humiliation. Cloud’s face burned. He grabbed the edges of the table and turned his gaze to the opposite wall. His pulse had quickened, his blood pressure risen. 

“I need you to relax a bit Cloud. Just let your knees fall to the sides,” coaxed Dr. Kitsuri, placing a gloved hand on the inside of his thigh. “That’s it. You’ll feel me touch you.”

Despite the warning, Cloud’s breath hitched in his chest at her touch. Carefully, she rolled each testicle in her hand and felt gently up along the cords. She pressed into his groin on both sides, feeling for lymph nodes. He couldn’t stop it. His pelvis was warming. He could feel himself stiffening and shifted uncomfortably. The flimsy exam paper crinkled loudly beneath him with even the slightest movement, amplifying his horror. He mumbled a soft apology.

Sephiroth smirked and gave a small, knowing chuckle.

“You’re okay, Cloud. It’s all normal. Relax. I’m going to touch you again,” the examiner warned. Her hands felt all along his rapidly hardening shaft, applying gentle pressure and moving slowly from base to glans before squeezing the tip ever so delicately. A barely audible groan escaped his lips, and he tightened his grip on the edges of the table. “Almost done, Cloud. You’re doing great. I’m going to assess your prostate ne-“

Startled, the already tense fighter sat straight up, wild-eyed and horror-struck, the previous arousal dissipating in an instant. Sephiroth reacted immediately, at Cloud’s side in a few quick strides, one hand on each of the young warrior’s shoulders.

“Cloud,” Sephiroth hissed. “You are First Class SOLDIER. Your participation is not optional at this juncture.”

“But I didn’t sign up for this!” Cloud exclaimed.

Sephiroth’s bright green eyes burned with anger. “You completed training and reported for duty. So technically, you did. Now, lie back, and stop cringing at every suggestion of discomfort.” He forced the younger, smaller man’s shoulders back to the exam table and took up a position directly behind Cloud, continuing to apply gentle pressure as a warning. Clearly outmatched, Cloud tried to steady his labored, anxious breathing. With Sephiroth’s face directly above his, he had nowhere to safely avert his eyes and settled them on the blanket draped over his spread legs, which at least blocked his view of the examiner.

“Cloud?” Dr. Kitsuri gently coaxed, “I can tell this is new for you and that you’re very anxious. Let’s start with something very small, a rectal thermometer, just to familiarize you. Then we’ll move onto the exam. We’re not here to harm you Cloud.”

Few choices were offered, so Cloud merely nodded, gritting his teeth. Tension gripped every muscle in his body. Battle didn’t bother him. Spitting in death’s face didn’t bother him. Being vulnerable and feeling violated? _That_ bothered him.

“Cold, Cloud,” was his warning. He could feel a gloved hand exposing his untouched hole followed by a cold wet gel and a gentle pressure against the opening. He gasped and went rigid, panting shallowly, as the slender probe slid within. Though not painful, the sensation was foreign, and he wanted nothing more than to get away from it. Paper crinkled as he shifted his hips back from the object.

Sephiroth smirked and shook his head. “Take a deep breath, and relax, Cloud. I told you, I’m part of the Initiative. Everything you’re going through today, I’ve already done. It is but a small discomfort for a much greater cause,” the great warrior soothed, squeezing Cloud’s shoulders.

As Cloud concentrated on easing some of the tension within his muscles, the examiner withdrew the small probe. Fearing what was to come, the young man struggled to slow his breathing, bright blue eyes darting around the room anxiously for anything to fixate on. A gingerly placed hand on the inner thigh caused him to jerk, but with Sephiroth holding him in place, there was little room to move.

“Easy, easy. I’m going to take it slow, and be gentle. Really, if you can relax, it won’t be painful Cloud. You’ll feel me touch, but I’ll try not to move until you release a bit.”

Cloud didn’t miss Sephiroth’s eyes rolling, but he was quickly distracted by the feeling of cold wet pressure firmly against his tightened anus, slowly massaging. He struggled for a bit, shifting his hips ineffectively. Slow, deep breaths. He tried to take a few slow, deep breaths, allowing his muscles to loosen. Suddenly, the pressure below increased, and he could feel the doctor’s digit starting to slide into him. He clenched tightly, and the advance halted, but did not recede. Without an escape from the sensation, he attempted to still again, and again his efforts were greeted with an increase in pressure. He could feel the digit forcing its way through his internal sphincter. He cried out softly and pushed his feet against the stirrups, trying to propel himself away. However, with Sephiroth’s leather-gloved hands holding him in place, there was no place to go. After a few more moments, the examiner inserted her finger fully and began probing, feeling for the gland. Cloud panted. Somewhere in his brain, he knew that Dr. Kitsuri was right, that it wasn’t actually very _painful_ at all, but the inescapable intrusiveness of the pressure caused him to squirm.

Unexpectedly, warm, pleasurable feelings snaked through Cloud’s pelvis, causing his shaft to swell and harden. The stark contrast of arousal against discomfort took the young man by surprise. His hips bucked reflexively, and a groan slipped from his mouth. Warmth flooded his cheeks at the accidental vocalization, and he clapped a hand to his lips.

Sephiroth smirked, “I think you found what you were looking for doctor. Be gentle or we may miss our collection opportunity.”

The examiner delicately rubbed against the highly sensitive spot for a bit longer, feeling Cloud’s tight inner muscles begin to relax as discomfort gave way to pleasure, then slowly withdrew. Another moan made its way through Cloud’s lips, and he was mortified to have to stop himself short of reflexively reaching for his erection.

“I’m sorry overseer,” murmured Dr. Kitsuri. “I don’t feel any growths, but it is a bit swollen. While it’s likely a simple need for more frequent release, I’d like to rule out infection prior to sample collection, especially since he was so… dramatic. I would hold him tightly.”

“Of course,” Sephiroth agreed. “Do whatever you deem necessary.” He brought a forearm across Cloud’s chest, securing him more tightly to the table.

Breaking from his haze of humiliation, Cloud looked rapidly from Sephiroth to the examiner and back. “What’s going on?” he questioned.

Sephiroth answered. “Dr. Kitsuri is going to perform a quick swab test to send to lab, and then we’ll be extracting a semen sample to determine whether you will be an eligible participant in our efforts to create more elite SOLDIER candidates. We’ve discovered cloning has some… negative consequences. However, we believe intentionally combining the DNA of appropriate parties has great potential. The sounds you make tell me we have proven we are not harming you. Trust us just a bit longer.”

Humiliated, powerless, Cloud made no effort to struggle. He could feel his throat burning and eyes watering with frustration and shame. He silently begged to erase the events of the day. He wanted to be SOLDIER so he could play the hero and protect his city, not so he could lie restrained by a SOLDIER war hero as a stranger extracted his DNA for some twisted experiment.

Dr. Kitsuri apologized, “I’m sorry. This is going to burn Cloud, but it will be brief.”

She gripped his swollen shaft firmly and inserted a test swab deep into his urethra. Pain blossomed where there had previously been pleasure. “Ahhhh!!!” Cloud cried out. He pulled against Sephiroth’s firm hold, but struggling was useless against the legendary general. The examiner gave the swab a few sharp twists and carefully removed the instrument, sealing it in a specimen vial.

“Shhhh young one. All done. All done,” Sephiroth crooned eerily. “Relax and enjoy as we complete today’s final task.” His eyes glittered with a strange viciousness.

Dr. Kitsuri regripped Cloud’s still-erect cock and began slowly stroking. Overstimulated, the young man took little time to respond. Unthinkingly, Cloud started rocking his hips in rhythm while the burning pain from before faded away, giving way to pleasant warmth. He closed his eyes, uncomfortable at glimpsing his military idol’s slit pupils boring into him. The examiner worked skillfully at his swollen tip, massaging the viscous fluids he was producing onto his entire length. His breathing became ragged, punctuated with bitten back groans. He felt a brief pause followed by tight latex being rolled over the distal part of his girth. The young woman resumed her ministrations, more vigorously this time. He arched, thrusting into the motion. He needed more, and hated himself for needing it. Without warning, a cold slick sensation trailed down his perineum. In the throes of pleasure, he didn’t fight this time. The intrusive digit slid in quickly and fully, probing roughly against his sensitive insides. “Nnn…” he moaned. He threw his head back. He panted. His hips bucked and jerked.

“Yes, young one,” whispered Sephiroth into Cloud’s ear. “Release for us…”

Cloud could hear words, could feel breath caressing his ear, but couldn’t focus to understand. His muscles began to spasm, contracting around the examiner’s violating finger. He could feel the pressure building within his cock. Pleasure coursed through his veins. He thrusted violently. A hand tightened around him. An arm pressed into his chest. His face contorted, and a cry burst from his lungs. “Arghhh!!!” Unrelenting force pulsed in matching rhythm against his swollen prostate. His entire pelvis convulsed. He came. Explosively. Thick semen jetted from within. His entire length throbbed, forcing pump after pump of the sticky substance into the latex reservoir. His tight, pink ring of flesh constricted. Gradually, his movements slowed, and his breath returned to him. The young woman’s touch withdrew from his body, taking the latex reservoir with her. Sephiroth eased his force from Cloud’s chest.

“Easy, Cloud. Take your time recovering before you change. I’ll meet you outside the door when you’re ready,” Sephiroth crooned. His long silver hair flowed from the room, sweeping the examiner out with him.

As the pleasure subsided, the shame washed over Cloud. He sank back against the table, allowing his knees to collapse onto each other while his pulse steadied. There was too much to process. After a few long minutes, he roused. Somebody had left a washcloth beside him, and he used it to clean himself off. He felt… used. Conflicted. Empty. He shed the gown, changing into his familiar clothing. His blond spikes were disheveled. He blindly attempted to brush them into some semblance of normalcy before opening the door.

Sephiroth was there, silently smirking. Cloud gazed at the floor, cheeks coloring. He couldn’t meet those taunting eyes.

“We’ve gotten enough results back to determine that you have been accepted into the Sustainability Initiative, Cloud. You did well today, SOLDIER. Come with me, and I will get you briefed on what service will be required from you in the coming days.” The tall warrior draped one arm around Cloud’s shoulders and began to guide him farther down the passage. Cloud glanced back at the hallway he had come from, longing to walk out the door and away from Shinra, but sensed that attempting to flee from a legend would be useless. Eyes downcast, he trudged alongside Sephiroth, wondering where into the lab these corridors led.


	2. The Patience of An Angel

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Sephiroth shows Cloud to the living arrangements for participants of the initiative. Highly tense, he then leaves and seeks out Tifa, upon whom he unleashes his barely-contained sexual frustration.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> WARNING: This scene contains heavy rape, non-con potential triggers.

Sephiroth guided the still silent Cloud to an elevator, typing in a combination of keys on the console. The young blond was clearly shaken. His blue eyes darted around, trying to map an idea of where they might be heading as the machine descended. Sephiroth’s deep voice broke the silence. “You’ll be temporarily relocated for the duration of the assignment for convenience and secrecy. You know Shinra keeps their affairs tightly concealed.”

The elevator shuttered, and doors slid open to reveal hallways branching off to the left and the right. Sephiroth strode to a nondescript door, unlocked it, and led Cloud within. The apartment was well lit and nicely furnished. It appeared that, despite not having access to natural sunlight, the participants would be living in comfort. Sephiroth gestured around with a wave of his gloved hand. Cloud took the hint to wander his new space, flicking on lights and acquainting himself with the layout. Standing in the doorframe of the bedroom, he made an attempt to compose himself. A rustle reached his ear, and he felt warmth against his back before he had time to turn.

“It’s a bit isolated down here, but I’ll be located in the adjoining unit should you need anything,” Sephiroth suggested, indicating a door with a keyhole in one corner of the room.

Cloud stepped forward, feeling uncomfortably close. “Th..thanks,” he murmured. He turned to continue his exploration, but Sephiroth was blocking the doorframe. Green eyes pierced his gaze from beneath a waterfall of white locks.

“You seem… uneasy, Cloud,” the tall legend crooned.

Shifting backward a few steps, Cloud shook his head lightly, spikes waving in the movement. “Uh, just… I just don’t understand what my purpose is yet, sir.” His adrenaline spiked. He was trapped.

For each step Cloud retreated, Sephiroth advanced in return. He reached out and placed a hand on the younger man’s shoulder. “You shall be instrumental in developing the next generation of SOLDIER.” He continued advancing until Cloud was against the bed. “Yet, you are, perhaps, less experienced than some?” He smirked, arching an eyebrow.

Cloud stammered, unable to form true words. 

“Relax young one. Your lack of composure was, shall we say, charming in its own way. You fought it all _valiantly_ ,” he mocked, a predatory smile hinting at his lips. 

Caught off guard, Cloud lost his balance, dropping back onto the bed behind him. Nervously, he dragged himself toward the headboard. His mouth opened in alarm as Sephiroth dropped to all fours and followed.

“You understand that a single dose of DNA won’t be enough, correct? Of course you do, Cloud. You have intelligence in those blue eyes of yours. You needn’t be concerned, I shall be more than happy to function as your… _mentor_ ,” the dark angel husked. “Though, watching you under another’s touch was a delicious appetizer.”

Cloud stared, open-mouthed. He couldn’t comprehend the scene before him. What in the promised land was happening?

Giving a slow blink to break the gaze, Sephiroth gracefully leapt from the bed and strode to the door. Over his shoulder, he tossed, “Perhaps a shower is in order, young one. You are entirely too tense and could likely do with rest.” He took a deep breath and walked from the apartment, careful to lock the door behind him, leaving Cloud stunned. He’d let the young man discover on his own time that there was no way to unlock the door from the inside of the living space without the key.

In the hallway, Sephiroth leaned back against the wall, throwing his head skyward. The blue-eyed man’s fear fueled a dangerous fire Sephiroth held within, but he didn’t want to ruin a creature with so much potential. No, that one would need gradual coaxing, gentle encouragement. His hand danced over the bulge in his leather pants. No. He would be patient, damnit. Yet, he needed to quell this urge _somehow_ , or he was likely to turn destructive. Sure, he could address it himself in his quarters, but this fire burned far too bright to gain any satisfaction from that alone. He paced. He raked his hand through his long, silver hair, when an idea struck. Ah. Ah, yes. That would do nicely. 

******************************

“Who is it?” Tifa asked, responding the knock at “her” door.

“If I were you, I would open up the fucking door,” answered a harsh voice from the hallway.

Sighing, Tifa opened the fucking door upon hearing the lock click loose from the exterior. As she had surmised, Sephiroth was standing outside. “You promised his safety. Where is he?”

Sephiroth smirked, barging through the open door. “Oh, he’s safe, Tifa. In fact, a recent medical visit shows that he is not only safe, but healthy, though I’m certain you desire for your dear friend to stay that way… don’t you?”

Relieved and annoyed, Tifa nodded. “I don’t have another explanation for being in this dingy underground hotel,” she snarked. 

“Then why don’t you pour us drinks, since you’re clearly missing your beloved bar.”

She gave a forced sigh and began rummaging through the unfamiliar cabinets. Sephiroth enjoyed watching her from this angle. Her short skirt rode up while she searched above her head, hinting at the crease of rounded ass meeting thigh. He gazed over the slope of her back, appreciating the dimples on either side of her sacrum. Crop tops were a beautiful thing on the right specimen. She must have felt his eyes ravaging her smooth skin because she huffily turned around, ingredients in hand, and began shaking up a cocktail.

“Are you implying you are… uncomfortable in your new arrangement here? To me, it seems more luxurious than the slums of sector 7,” Sephiroth goaded, watching her perky chest bounce tantalizingly with each shake of the cocktail shaker. 

“The accommodations are fine. It’s the company I miss.” She poured the liquid into martini glasses and passed one to Sephiroth, who had made himself quite comfortable at the counter.

He sipped at the concoction appreciatively. “Not bad for a bartender from under the plate. Pear?”

She nodded, long brunette hair falling forward as she stared into her glass. Her spiky-haired friend had promised to keep her safe. The least she could do was return the favor. “Why are you here Sephiroth?”

The leathered guest shrugged his shoulders, “I was trying to be kind by having a drink first, but since you’re electing to forego the courtesy…” He was up in an instant, pressing up against the small, athletic woman. She gasped, almost dropping her glass in her surprise. Quickly, she downed her beverage, sure she would need it for what was to come.

He brushed his hand through her silky brunette hair, tugging slightly to extend her neck. Breathily in her ear, he whispered, “You aren’t what I had in mind tonight, but for a slum-rat, you’ll do.”

She gasped and tried to turn around but couldn’t overpower the pale war general behind her. He ground his stiffness against her backside, wrapping his arm across her chest and pressing her to him. With his free hand he felt along her taught abdomen, tickling and teasing his way down to her skirt. She struggled, and he nipped at her neck as a warning.

“Ah!” Tifa cried out at the pinch of teeth. “No, please don’t!”

“It’ll be one of you, bitch. Your choice. Perhaps we can _both_ picture another,” he chuckled and lifted the woman up as though she weighed little more than a crate of materia. At his words, she stilled and allowed herself to be carried to her sleeping quarters, where she was flung unceremoniously onto the bed. “Now, crawl over here, and tell me how much you look forward to pleasing me.”

Shaken, the woman crept over on hands and knees to the side of the bed. “I’ll do whatever you want, just don’t hurt…”

“Shhhhh….” Sephiroth put a finger to her lips. “That’s what I wanted to hear. Why don’t you remove that ridiculous top. You know it covers nothing anyway.”

Tifa blushed furiously. She hesitated at first, but following a nod from her captor, she peeled out of her white and black top, her ample breasts springing free. The tall, black-clad stranger stepped back to admire the scene before him. Then, agile as a hellhound, he pounced. He caught up her wrists in a single relentless fist and forced them above her head while she squirmed beneath his hard-muscled weight. His mouth found its way to her neck, suckling and nipping along her collarbone.

She whimpered, drowning in a sea of silver. His lips gently caressed, but his hands groped roughly. There was a desperation to his movements, a hunger, a need. Despite her writhing, he held her still with ease, forcing a thigh between her knees. Warmth emanated from the juncture of her thighs, stoking his fire. He roughly ground a leg against her warmth.

Pushed too far, Tifa gathered her limbs together and shoved against Sephiroth with all her might. He rocked back, losing his grip on her. This was a fight he hadn’t been anticipating. She swung a fist. He grinned and caught it easily. “Filthy slum-rat. You think to outmatch SOLDIER?” A vicious laugh bubbled from his throat. “Have it your way then.” He forced a knee over each of her thighs, effectively pinning her lower body in place. Gripping her wrists together again in one hand, he used his other hand to rip her suspenders free from her skirt. Cleverly, the brutal angel used the garment to bind her hands to the bedpost. Now, his prey had no way to escape. 

He removed his knees from her thighs, sliding his hips between them instead. Mako-touched eyes razed over her body, silently complimenting her toned abdomen and pert breasts. His lips followed, tongue flicking over her nipples. A sharp gasp escaped Tifa’s lips. Smirking maliciously, he grazed his teeth over one of the perky buds and felt her chest rise in return. Perfection. The next time, he bit harder, evoking a soft cry of discomfort. 

“Flip over,” he growled, kneeling back. With hands bound, the task was a challenge. He grabbed the swell of her hips and rotated, bringing her to her knees. She collapsed onto her forearms, hips in the air, unable to readjust due to her bindings. Fearfully, the young woman looked back, crimson eyes wide. “Hmm…” Sephiroth mused thoughtfully. Grabbing a pillow, he shook it out of its case, using the linen to wrap around Tifa’s eyes. “Your cooperation would have made this go much more smoothly, but you insisted on insolence. Now, silence.”

The skirt about her hips revealed much in this position. He ran his hands along the backs of her thighs, cupping where her perfectly rounded ass met her shapely legs. He brought his mouth close, breathing hot, moist air over her center. Tifa squirmed in response, but didn’t make a sound. Smart girl, Sephiroth decided. Gently, he rubbed the pads of his fingers over the warmth radiating through her panties. She tried to shift forward and away, but there was nowhere to go. His digits whispered over her clit, and she gently moaned. “I said silence,” he responded, pressing his body behind her so he could clamp a gloved hand over her mouth. She parted her lips, tasting the leather on her tongue. In warning, he tangled his other hand in her hair, pulling back roughly. Once he was sure his point had been made, he returned to his ministrations, sliding his hands beneath the lace between her legs and yanking down until the fabric met her stockings.

Sephiroth hiked up the teasing black skirt and began to knead at her ass cheeks, massaging. He watched her breathing, mentally timing. As she exhaled, he brought an open palm down hard across her backside. She cried out, and he savored the sounds. Sadistically, he rubbed again, waiting for her breathing to slow before he repeated the motion. Again and again, he spanked, always massaging in between. Her milky skin began to redden, and her cries took on a pained quality. The dark leather pants he wore were becoming painfully tight. He paused to remove his gloves before blowing softly over her pink slit. With one hand, he spread her wide. The other, he used to guide an elegant finger into her slick sheath. She tensed, and he hummed in delight at the constriction. Slowly he eased in and out, adding a second digit to the first.

Tifa threw her head back, her hair tangling along her spine. Soft mewling sang from her mouth. He would not punish her for this smallest of infractions. Instead, he wet his thumb between his lips, and began to run it delicately beside her clit, allowing her to rock her hips against him. “Ahh!!” she exclaimed as he thumbed over the sensitive nub. Immediately he withdrew his hands, tearing at the fragile fabric around her thighs. 

“I thought we had defined silence already,” he chided, wadding up the torn underwear and shoving them between her plump lips.

It could be over soon. He had walked in already wound up, and his arousal had done anything but subside. However, he was feeling particularly vicious after denying himself his strongest desires. He opted to indulge his depravity and slunk from the bed. Stalking to the kitchen, he reached into the freezer. Plucking a few cubes of ice from the tray, he added them to the empty martini glass and brought it to the bedroom. He supposed materia would have been quicker, but the frozen cubes were so much more deliciously precise. His delectable prey was pulling at her bindings and thrashing her head, trying to dislodge her makeshift blindfold.

“Tifa… Tifa…” he gently reprimanded. “We had an agreement. I would get off either with you, or with somebody else. I seem to recall you opting for the former.”

Her movements stilled, and she dropped her head forward in defeat. “Much better.” He placed the glass on the nightstand, climbing up behind the woman who kneeled so alluringly. His hands ran along her hourglass sides, gripping onto her hips. Aggressively, he yanked her hips back, grinding her against his bulging erection. Draping his chest over her small body, he reached into the glass and proceeded to hold the cube over her back in wait. Drip. Drip. Drip. Barely melted water splashed along her spine, and Tifa began to make muffled noises behind her makeshift gag. Once the water reached the line of her skirt, he lapped it up with his tongue, exchanging cold for warmth. Then, he traced the melting cube along the insides of her thighs, drawing up toward her moist folds. A fresh cube rubbed lightly over her entrance. She flinched away. The cold followed. He teased wickedly, sneaking an edge within and withdrawing, grazing over her most sensitive spot.

Once the cube was gone, he unbuckled his pants, finally freeing his aching hardness. He grabbed hold, lining himself up with Tifa’s slick opening. A shiver gripped him as he rubbed his swollen tip against the moist heat. He could resist no longer. He plunged deep, driving to the hilt inside her tight corridor. She arched back, muffled sounds bursting through the fabric between her teeth. Animalistic growls flew from Sephiroth in reply. He grasped onto her shoulder, sure to leave bruises in his wake. His free hand tangled in her hair, yanking her face skyward. He withdrew and drove deep again. The pace was steady, a series of slow but savage thrusts.

Tifa’s arms began to shake. She dropped lower. His brutal grip on her shoulder released, and he plucked her panties from her mouth. “Now you may scream for me rat. Tell all of Midgar who makes you scream tonight.” He quickened his pace, rocking his hips in a harsh rhythm. The woman’s body betrayed her, matching her tormentor’s movements with her own. With his elegant, strong fingers, he reached around her hip, rubbing her clit in time with their movements. And she screamed. In horror, in pleasure, in disgust, she screamed his name from the depths of her lungs.

Sephiroth let loose a low throaty laugh at hearing his name sung so beautifully. Her inner muscles contracted against his throbbing cock. It felt so. Fucking. Good. He bucked with the savagery of pent frustration. Images of another flashed across his eyes, and he came undone. The sweet promise of release coursed through his pelvis, and he dragged scratches down the back of the one before him. He pulled back quickly, allowing thick jets of seed to cover the angry red lines he had left upon pale skin. His mouth contorted into a feral snarl, and his body convulsed over and over until he was empty. Sweat was covering his forehead. Silver strands of damp hair clung about his face. He panted as the throbbing of his length slowed, a smirk hovering about his lips. 

At last he released his victim’s sore wrists, pulling the pillowcase from her eyes to wipe himself off. He fastened his pants and leaned into her ear. “Your friend owes you much gratitude, Tifa. How very loyal of you,” he whispered before turning and leaving her quarters, locking the door behind him as always. 

Sated, he turned and began his way through the maze. He raked a hand through his disheveled hair, untangling the evidence of his savagery. During his long walk back to his own apartment, he devised just how he would break _in_ his beautiful new gift from Shinra without actually breaking the glorious creature. He would practice the patience of an angel, albeit a dark, single-winged one.


	3. A Gentle Introduction

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Sephiroth repeats his mantra of "Gentle. Patience." while gracing Cloud with his affections, determined to break in his new pet without breaking him.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Written while listening to "Memory" by Dead By April on repeat because it helped me feel the deranged, bipolar nature of Sephiroth's desires. May have come across in the writing, may not have.

_Gentle. Patience._ This had been Sephiroth’s mantra following his unwelcome visit to Tifa’s. He had been fantasizing about his golden-haired morsel since being called by Dr. Kitsuri for assistance the day prior. The suppressed moans, the averted eyes, the struggle against his restraining arm. Divine. It was a fascination he couldn’t shake. The mako that ran through his body had created an indiscriminatory and unextinguishable desire within him. He knew it made him brutal and savage, but finally, it seemed he lusted after one who could withstand his attentions. Enhanced by the same lifeblood, this First Class SOLDIER held so much potential, assuming he was treated cautiously. But, Ifrit’s _Hellfire_ , if watching his unwilling pleasure didn’t make Sephiroth’s cock twitch with approval. He scrubbed his hands over his face, composing himself. After all, he _did_ have a job to do. His designation as an Overseer of the Initiative wasn’t a façade. The job merely came with certain benefits.

He knocked on the connecting door in his bedroom. After a few moments of no response, he twisted his key and moved through into the adjoining space. “Cloud?” he called. A dish clattered loudly in another room, followed by a scuffle of feet. Sephiroth let himself in, cautiously approaching the noises. “At ease. Adjoining units, if you’ll recall.”

Upon entering the kitchen, he was met by wild blue eyes, stark against pale skin. 

“Still a tad jumpy I see,” he shrugged, hands held out with palms up as a gesture of nonthreatening intention.

Cloud shook off the adrenaline surge. “Unfamiliar territory,” he responded.

“Come,” Sephiroth ordered with a heavy-lidded smirk. “You appear ready for a briefing on your assignment.” He didn’t wait before turning on his heel to leave, long, black jacket rippling behind him.

Longing for his sword, Cloud initially hesitated, but few options were left at hand. He hurried to catch up, taking in his surroundings as he walked. Sephiroth’s quarters were as luxurious as he would have expected of Shinra’s most respected war hero. He walked past a lush, four-poster bed, adorned in charcoal gray sheets. He walked past a spacious bathroom, full of ultra-modern glass and mirrored elements. As he walked past the next room, he skittered against the far wall.

Sephiroth’s shoulders shook with silent mirth, and he glanced behind him. “Relax, you’ve no purpose there today. As Overseer, I’m trained and occasionally tasked with follow up exams, that sort of thing. Unless you’re not feeling well?” He arched an eyebrow.

Pink crept into Cloud’s cheeks. “No. Yes. I mean, I’m fine.” 

Still jumpy indeed, Sephiroth noted. Upon reaching the sitting room, Sephiroth gestured to the furniture and invited Cloud to take a seat. Sprawling comfortably on the opposing couch, he bluntly explained, “Shinra’s Sustainability Initiative requires genetic material from only its most elite members for experiments. Hojo and his team are seeking to eliminate the cancer threat associated with mako enhancement and to produce a larger population of viable SOLDIER candidates. Our role is simple. Provide the material while we await our next assignment.”

Cloud’s mouth opened and closed a few times before he could find words. “So, I’m just supposed to… “ He gestured vaguely at his groin in question.

“In a way. Though it seems you were, shall we say, overdue?”

Cloud blushed furiously and stared at the coffee table. “In a way?”

“A bit of a pH balancing process is required by… pushing the right buttons. That seems to be a culprit for the limited number of incoming potential candidates. Mako induced pH changes ruining the DNA. Cloud, allow me to mentor you in this. Your time here does not have to be tortuous, though it can be if you so choose.”

 _Mentor_. Cloud dropped his face into his hands. He flinched, feeling Sephiroth’s weight drop onto the couch beside him. An arm slung around his shoulders. He supposed it was meant to be reassuring. For years he had idolized the legendary war hero, but not like this. He knew, in training, couplings were not uncommon. After all, the mako enhancement process filled young recruits with _all_ kinds of energy, but he had never participated. Not to say he was a blushing virgin. He’d lain with a few women following the heat of battle, but never stayed with one for long.

“Ah, young one,” Sephiroth crooned. “Let me show you something.”

He gently ushered the defeated SOLDIER back through the hallway they had come, stopping when they reached Sephiroth’s bed chambers. Cloud watched him with the wariness of a caged animal as he pulled out an intricate wooden box from his dresser. He placed the mysterious container on a corner of the ornate bed. “Go ahead. Open it.”

Cloud lifted the lid, blue eyes widening in alarm. He tried to back up, but Sephiroth was behind him. Arms of steel wrapped around his torso.

Sephiroth was disappointed at the reaction, though he really hadn’t expected much better. “Ah, the valiant fighter as always,” he whispered in Cloud’s ear. Unknowingly, the young man had acted as prey, rousing the predator within. The dark angel had been trying _so_ hard. Focusing his attention on the green orb of materia at his wrist, he drew power through his body, infusing his voice with it. “Stop.”

The energy took hold immediately. Cloud lost the ability to move everything except his eyes and his diaphragm. Sephiroth wasted no time, knowing he had precious few seconds to spare before the effects wore off. Gingerly, he lifted his prey and placed him on the bed, supporting his neck with a pillow. Dexterous fingers working rapidly, he removed Cloud’s clothing, tucking him beneath the silken sheets. As the energy began to dissipate, he fastened padded leather cuffs around his victim’s wrists, attaching them to a bed post. “I didn’t want it to be this way for you young one, but I swear to be gentle and show you the pleasure you could have willingly had.”

Strength restored, Cloud made an effort to pull at his restraints. They held fast. There would be no escape. He looked frantically around the room, breath quickening in fear of what would come next, when he noticed Sephiroth rummaging in a chest at the foot of the bed. An oddly pleading look passed through his bright green eyes. “I thought this might help you calm,” he offered, laying a weighted blanket over the sheet that thinly veiled Cloud’s body. He also held out a strip of black, surprisingly soft, leather. “You tend to avert your eyes when you seem embarrassed. You won’t have to do that wearing this.” Gently, he tied the strip around Cloud’s head, careful not to pull any hairs that threatened to catch in the knot. 

Giving Cloud time to slow his racing pulse, Sephiroth grabbed a bottle of lubricant and took it to the bathroom. There, he wrapped it in a washcloth and ran them both under hot water, letting them warm to a comfortable temperature against his skin. He took slow, deliberate breaths. _Gentle. Patience._ He repeated his mantra until he felt confident in his control before returning to the delicious sight sprawled across his mattress. It seemed Cloud had indeed settled somewhat under the comforting weight.

He seated himself on the bed next to this most precious of prey. Repeating his mantra, Sephiroth took each of Cloud’s callused hands, massaging them gently with his strong, yet elegant fingers. He checked the restraints, careful to ensure they weren’t overly tight. Lightly, he traced a fingertip along the outline of an ear, brushing blond wisps back from Cloud’s face. “You are glorious even when I cannot see your eyes, precious pet,” he murmured. He leaned in toward the muscular slope of the young man’s neck, his own long hair tickling over Cloud’s exposed shoulder. 

Cloud was revolted by his instinct to nuzzle toward the gentle, foreign touch. In a different context, he believed it would have felt… nice. Lips ran along his collarbone. A thumb caressed his jawline. Sephiroth’s ministrations were gentle. It was completely at odds with expectation. Fingers ran through his spikes, massaging against his scalp. He felt… kisses? Yes, those were definitely feather-light kisses along his throat. 

As his lips reached the hollow of Cloud’s neck, he folded the blanket back, revealing the young man’s chest. He ran his hands along the edge of the pectoral muscles he found there, digging gradually deeper to massage away the tensions of sword practice. In a bold moment, he dropped his smallest fingers so they grazed Cloud’s nipples, which raised in response. The beautiful creature before him shifted slightly, an indication that a few things were raising, in fact. 

Capitalizing on the moment, Sephiroth tucked the blanket back around Cloud’s chest and shifted his attention to the knotted calves. He worked his way up bit by bit, exercising the patience he had promised. While massaging Cloud’s thighs, he gently parted them, with pleasingly little resistance. He positioned himself on his knees between them, pushing the blanket higher to reveal his precious pet’s stiffened length. He crept his hands up those powerful thighs, resting his palms in the creases where legs met pelvis. “May I?” he asked. The timidity he heard in his own tone disgusted him. He was not timid. He was raw power. He would take whatever he deemed his. Boldly, viciously, and without passing thought. Still, he held his breath, waiting for an answer. After an eternity, he received a slow nod. 

He took some of the warm gel in his hand and ran it over the raised appendage. He watched Cloud’s reaction intently. The young man had nuzzled his head into the pillow, mussing his spikes into a misshapen tangle. Sephiroth took it as a sign of contentedness and continued. He rubbed over the entire length, even reaching down to roll his hand over the orbs at its base. Cloud’s fingers flexed in appreciation. He didn’t stop until Cloud’s chest rose and fell in a steady, even rhythm.

Sliding the intricate box he had shown his pet within easy reach, the emerald-eyed angel looked over his new collection of variously sized anal toys. He coaxed Cloud’s ankles closer, causing the young man’s knees to bend and exposing everything in between. “Gentle. I promise,” he murmured throatily. Again, he received a slow nod.

Sephiroth selected the smallest plug from the lot, not quite as big around as the knuckle of his index finger. He lubricated it liberally, letting the heat of his hand warm it to a comfortable temperature. “If you cannot relax, young one, then bear down instead. Trust me in this.” He rested the pad of a finger against Cloud’s entrance, waiting for the young man to obey. Once the resistance faded, he slipped the toy in, eliciting a small wince and a squirm of the hips. “Yes, Cloud, just like that,” he breathed. Quickly, he returned his attention to the erection before him, stroking slowly and deliberately. Distracted by pleasure, Cloud’s squirming hips stilled. Sephiroth grinned as his precious prey’s lips parted. Precome was already beginning to bead. With his thumb, he wiped it away and was pleased to be met with a thrust.

Satisfied that Cloud was hypnotized beneath his touch, he leaned in close to whisper, “I want you to settle while I exchange it precious pet.” He paused his strokes, palming the perfectly muscled abdomen until it ceased moving. His free fingers gripped the flange of the first toy, gently tugging it loose from the pink flesh that held it. This time he plucked one slightly larger than his first digit from his collection, slicking it and nudging it delicately against its intended target. Cloud flinched, holding his breath in anxious anticipation. Mercifully, Sephiroth resumed his languid strokes. He would be patient. He would wait for his prey to relax. Break in, not broken, he reminded himself. The sweet melody of rhythmic breathing mixed with small whimpers danced to his ears. He bit into his lip and slowly guided the toy into place.

“Ahhh…” Cloud moaned, digging his heels into the bed and forcing his hips back.

Sephiroth could resist no longer. He felt his restraint being burned away by the flames at his core. Watching this usually powerful creature sprawl helplessly under his emerald gaze simply undid him. Boldly, he pressed his lips to the underside of Cloud’s cock, planting light kisses along the entire length. 

“What the f…” was all Cloud got out before a tongue flicked out and swirled over his sensitive head. His words evaporated into a pleasurable gasp, forgotten in the warm moisture of Sephiroth’s mouth.

Sephiroth growled with satisfaction. He took in all he could, sucking hard before pulling back. His nails grazed along the tender inside of Cloud’s thigh. Reddened lines trailed behind. He hummed softly, sending vibrations all along his pet’s shaft. He glanced up to see Cloud’s blond spikes thrown back, a sheen of sweat glossing his perfect skin. His hand and mouth worked in tandem, coaxing soft moans to fill the room. So close. Deftly, he wrapped thumb and forefinger around the base, squeezing tightly. “Not just yet, young one. I think you can handle a little more. Don’t you?” he husked. 

Cloud bucked in protest. He was on the brink. “Please…” he breathily pleaded for release.

“Hmmm?”

Panting with need, Cloud nodded. Anything to relieve the aching between his legs. 

Sephiroth selected a single size larger. It didn’t match his own girth, but he was trying so hard to exercise caution. He coated this last toy generously before hitching one arm under the young man’s thigh, yanking Cloud’s hips onto his lap.

Fully exposed, Cloud tossed his head sharply to the side. A brief moment of reprieve washed over him as the second plug was withdrawn from his body. All too soon, he felt another rounded tip of silicone resting at his entrance, threatening penetration. He tried to relax. He tried to bear down as his _mentor_ had suggested. He couldn’t focus. In this position, he couldn’t even do much to readjust himself.

Sephiroth savored the sight for a few precious moments. Completely vulnerable before him lay a lean-muscled siren. The panting, the moaning, the begging… Such sweet siren song to his twisted passions. On that note, he advanced. Slowly, relentlessly, he eased inward, imagining the constricting velvet walls against his own hardened cock. 

Fighting against the restraining hold, Cloud yelled out. “Stop! It’s too much Sephiroth! Please!” He felt himself stretch with a sharp twinge to accommodate. The discomfort was teetering too close to pain as the flange settled into place. He thrashed, unsuccessfully attempting to dislodge the device.

“Shhhh…” Sephiroth soothed, reaching up to caress his chest. “A few moments and it’ll be gone. I promise you.” Firmly, he grasped his captor’s twitching stiffness, pumping more quickly now. He was true to his promise, only forcing Cloud’s torment to a slow mental count of five before removing the toy and seamlessly replacing it with a digit. So soft. So tight. He felt the muscles contract around his finger, and imagined them massaging his much larger appendage. Purring at the thought, he took Cloud back into his mouth.

He was past teasing. He would show this angel a piece of the promised land. His tongue worked tirelessly, running along the rim of Cloud’s tip, flicking over the sensitive slit at the end. A stroking hand accompanied the sensation, moving in perfect counterpoint to rocking and thrusting hips. The other hand caressed gently, rubbing over a sensitive spot within. He drank in each movement, each sound, each sight.

Cloud’s back arched convulsively. For a few moments, he gave no thought to the reason for the pleasure, focusing only on the exquisite sensations themselves. Surely his palms were bleeding from the depth with which his nails cut. The intensity of having sensation everywhere shattered his inhibitions. He cried out freely, incoherently. Rhythmic contractions took hold of his entire body, but the only ones he could feel were in his pelvis.

Sephiroth groaned in return, tasting the young man’s seed as it exploded over his tongue. He continued his desperate ministrations, milking each movement until the last contraction had ended. He let his finger tips feather lightly over Cloud’s thighs as he pulled back. Awkwardly, he reached for a plastic specimen container on the nightstand and expelled the substance from his mouth to dutifully send. 

Breathless, Cloud shuddered with the aftershocks of the most violent orgasm he had ever experienced. Sephiroth pushed the leather blindfold up to reveal blue eyes glazed with satiety. He smirked, quite pleased, and began to tenderly wash his precious pet’s groin with the soft washcloth. When he was satisfied that no remnants of the event remained, he covered Cloud with the silk sheet and weighted blanket, running a hand through his golden locks. Finally, he unbound the sore wrists, massaging feeling back into the callused hands. 

He excused himself, padding quietly from the room. Practically panting with his own desires, he desperately needed to attend to himself. He turned the water on in the shower, stripping out of his clothes while he waited for it to warm. A noise came from behind him, and he whirled. Nothing crept up on him. Cloud was standing in the doorway, still as naked as Sephiroth had left him.

“But what about you Sephiroth?” Cloud asked. Sephiroth didn’t so much as try to mask his stunned expression as the object of his desire cautiously approached. With the shyness of inexperience, Cloud reached out to touch the one-winged angel, hesitating at first to grip his throbbing length. Sephiroth wrapped his hand around Cloud’s, guiding him through how he liked to be stroked. A quick learner, Cloud’s hand tightened deliciously, running from base to tip and twisting gently at Sephiroth’s end. He had waited so patiently. He couldn’t help himself. He couldn’t resist. He hadn’t believed it would come to this. His legs shook so hard he was afraid he wouldn’t be able to support himself. He threw his head back, silver hair whipping behind him. A phantom wing unfurled. His mouth opened.

“FUCK!” Sephiroth exclaimed, waking abruptly to the sticky mess of his silken sheets. His chest heaving, he seethed, knowing it had been too good to be real. He flung the filthy linens from his body in his frustration. How dare this spiky haired SOLDIER leave him pathetically pining, spilling seed in his sleep like a fucking adolescent?


	4. The Demon is Sated

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> After the teasing from Chapter 3, Sephiroth finally gets his hands (and more) on Cloud.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Written while listening to "Popular Monster" by Falling in Reverse. This chapter contains heavy rape/non-con vibes, potential trigger warning.

Sephiroth was in a foul mood following his unpleasant awakening. He had showered and scrubbed away all evidence of his ridiculous pubescent incident, seething the entire time over how foolish it was. Meticulously, he prepared for the day ahead. Today, these pathetic dreams would come to a screeching halt. Today, the predator would be allowed to hunt. He was sure to slot a glowing green time materia into his cuff. Maybe it had all been a dream, but that _didn’t_ necessarily mean it had all been a bad idea. Once he was certain that his effects were in order, he rapped his knuckles against the door in his bedroom.

A muffled voice replied. “You know damn well I can’t open the door.”

Sephiroth grinned in amusement. It seemed his prey had explored the new surroundings fully and had discovered that the only exits were locked from the outside, a prison disguised as a comfortable living space. He turned the key in the lock and let the door swing open. “It was intended as a courtesy, not a question.”

Sapphire eyes flecked with mako glared at him as he stepped over the threshold. “Why the hell am I locked in some underground apartment?”

“Your behavior resulted in you being deemed a flight risk,” Sephiroth replied matter-of-factly.

“My behavior? What are you getting at, Sephiroth?”

“Yes, Cloud. Your behavior. The struggling. The fighting. Perhaps you’ll remember that I had to restrain you for a simple procedure?”

Cloud’s cheeks flushed bright pink at mention of the events from the previous day. His head shook slowly, blond spikes swaying in confusion. “Yesterday, you said a single dose of DNA wouldn’t be enough. What did you mean?”

Sephiroth arched an eyebrow, and a smirk stole over his face. Apparently, they would be getting right to the point today. “Come now, Cloud. You raised through the ranks too quickly to be dull-witted.”

The young SOLDIER buried his face into his hands. “Promised land,” he mumbled. “So, you’re here to do what? Drop off some lotion and containers?”

A deep laugh barked from Sephiroth’s throat. Apparently, the young man had shaken off his shyness from yesterday and replaced it with snark. “No, not exactly,” he smiled. “There’s a little more to it than that. Come with me, and I’ll explain.”

Cloud stood, vacillating for a few moments before finally agreeing. Sephiroth was overcome with a delicious feeling of déjà vu as he led Cloud through his hallway toward the sitting area. Patiently, he gave the explanation much as he had in his dreams, discussing the purpose of the Initiative and the science behind the DNA procurement and handling. “As Overseer and mentor, my job is to guide and assist you in these techniques.”

Cloud’s mouth hung slightly ajar, shock overtaking him. The tone was so professional, so believable. But the words? They couldn’t be real. “No. I can’t…”

“Cooperation may result in a loosening of your restrictions. Perhaps the higher powers could be convinced to let a certain crimson-eyed friend of yours visit?” Sephiroth had debated strongly whether or not to play this card in their little game. It was a risk, but one he was willing to take.

Those striking blue eyes before him narrowed menacingly. “What the fuck did you do with Tifa?”

“Ah ah,” chided Sephiroth. “Tifa willingly struck a bargain with Shinra.” He left out the bit about coercion and her role as a potential carrier once the experiments were successful. And the part about last night. “But I’m certain she’d love to come see you if I could arrange it. You would see that she’s alive, unharmed.”

Cloud snarled, an animal caged by warring emotions. Gaia, relationships made people so easy to manipulate, like little puppets on strings. Sephiroth merely lifted his chin in question.

“You sick bastard!” Cloud exclaimed, fists balled at his sides.

“Is that a refusal?”

“No! I just. Damnit! I signed up for SOLDIER to fight, not to do whatever this is!”

“An acceptance then?”

“Just… just do whatever needs to happen, but keep Tifa out of it,” the young man growled, loyalty to his friend outweighing regard for himself.

Sephiroth purred with satisfaction. Who would have believed the same threat would work twice? He stood and extended a gloved hand. Cloud moved to follow, but knocked the outstretched hand aside. Unfazed by the insult, the one-winged angel merely shrugged and began to walk back along the hallway they had come through. His keen hearing focused on the footsteps behind him, ensuring the young man didn’t change his mind mid-stride.

Upon reaching his sleeping quarters, Sephiroth gestured at the ornate four-poster bed. “Preferable to an exam table, perhaps? Though, of course, there’s one available if you so choose. Either way, the dress code is the same.” He eyed Cloud’s frame up and down, a clear indication of the “dress code” requirements. 

Cloud rolled his eyes and gave a snort of derision. “You at least gonna give me a minute of privacy?” 

Even beaten, the young SOLDIER was snarky. All the more fun to play with, he supposed. Sephiroth reached out, running his fingers along his prey’s perfect jawline and tipping the young man’s chin up until their eyes met. He smiled predatorily. “Of course not.”

Cloud jerked his face away and turned, a faint pink staining his cheeks. He had idolized this legendary war general from childhood. Had joined SOLDIER with the intent of _becoming_ the next Sephiroth. His mind spun. Disillusionment with one he had looked up to. Concern for the friend he had cherished for so long. Fear and shame over whatever was to come. The conflicting emotions left him oddly numb, unable to think through each movement. Obligingly, he stripped out of the gear that covered his upper body, letting cloth and leather drop to the floor. He took in the room around him, searching for a weapon, an escape route, anything of use.

“Before you move on,” Sephiroth interrupted, “I want you to place your hands behind your back for a moment. Grab your elbows.” While this scenario was playing out rather well, he had little faith that such a skittish specimen would remain complacent for long.

Lost in the numbness of his own confused thoughts, Cloud did as he was told. He flinched when he felt a heavy hand drop onto his shoulder from behind him. Realization dawned too late as the unrelenting command of a single word took hold.

“Stop,” breathed Sephiroth, channeling the materia at his wrist, grateful for the idea his subconscious mind had suggested. He grabbed a length of rope from a dresser drawer and deftly wound it around the muscular arms, binding them in place before checking for adequate blood flow. “I’m sorry young one, but you haven’t earned my trust yet.” With the strength unique to mako enhancement, he lifted the young man in his arms and placed him supine on the luxurious bedding.

As Cloud gradually regained control over his limbs, Sephiroth took a length of black silk and fixed it around his eyes. With one sense gone, Cloud’s other senses soared to new heights. The metallic clink of his belt being unbuckled, the unzipping of his pants, his own heart pounding in his ears as his remaining clothing was peeled away. The cacophony was deafening. He was completely at the mercy of his military idol, utterly defeated upon a twisted battlefield he had never prepared for.

The moment Sephiroth had been craving was finally before him. He sat back, admiring the sight at hand. Lithe, graceful strength was contained beneath creamy, unbroken skin. Beautiful, restrained power lay helpless under his gaze. His very skin vibrated with anticipation. He removed his gloves, unable to resist the temptation of physical contact any longer.

Unhurriedly, he ran his bare fingertips along Cloud’s torso, allowing them to tickle from collarbone to waistline. A smile spread across his face at the accompanying shiver. He brushed his lips along an ear, tracing from crest to lobe. Fixing his teeth gently around the silver stud earring, he tugged almost playfully and earned a sharp inhale in return. This was a moment the wicked angel was determined to savor, and he reveled in each involuntary twitch and shiver that he coaxed from his prize. He spread his hand across the man’s taut abdomen, lazily caressing each ripple of muscle. Glancing down, he was pleased to see Cloud responding to gentle touch in the same manner as he had the day before.

“Despite your initial resistance, I see your body responds favorably,” Sephiroth teased, lightly grazing a nail along the underside of the stiffening length. He felt Cloud’s arm flex beside him, trapped by the bindings. “No need to fight it, young one.”

Gracefully, he leapt from the bed to collect a few choice items from his dresser. For a brief while, Sephiroth pondered the wooden box from his dream but cast the thought aside, settling on a slender, curved vibrator instead. He watched as Cloud turned his head frantically from side to side, trying to track sound and movement. Caught in the moment of excited anticipation, Sephiroth rubbed his hand over his own bulge before returning to the mattress.

He settled himself between Cloud’s legs, bending the young man’s knees and placing them over his own. With an air of possessiveness, he massaged his hands along tender thighs. Each time he reached the apex, he let his thumbs spread Cloud’s ass, exposing the tight entrance. He luxuriated in the power he had over this creature, in the simultaneous arousal and discomfort he could engender. The control rested entirely in his elegant hands.

Satisfied his prey was fully erect, Sephiroth rubbed a few drops of silky lubricant into his palm and wrapped his hand around Cloud’s cock. He stroked slowly, delighting in the feel of stiffness within his fist. He leaned in to lay a trail of hot breath along the space between his palm and fingertips. The precious pet before him issued an unwilling gasp of pleasure through gritted teeth. Blond spikes buried themselves into a cushion of down pillow as Cloud turned his face away in shame. 

Sephiroth released his hold only briefly to slick the fingers of his other hand. With his fist, he pushed down against the base of Cloud’s cock, forcing the man’s hips to still. Simultaneously, he slid a finger of his other hand along the cleft of his captive’s backside. While he ran a slow stroke from base to tip, he circled around puckered opening. He teased, or perhaps threatened, letting Cloud’s discomfort build to an almost palpable level. Then, he reversed the direction of his fist, and he penetrated. 

Cloud whimpered and pulled against the ropes behind him. Sephiroth’s dark desires feasted on the indications of struggle. His own arousal longed for attention. The sweet chemical smell of mako wafted against his nose, inciting the aggressive beast within. He flexed his back in a failed attempt to force the painful itch of his right shoulder blade to subside. 

Sephiroth worked his digit cautiously at first, searching the warm velvet walls. Suddenly, hips bucked against his fist, and he knew he had found his target. He probed roughly in time with his strokes. Clear precome gathered at Cloud’s tip. He bit into his lip. Would it be too much? More importantly, did he care? He leaned in and flicked his tongue over the source, collecting the salty beads and savoring them.

“Ah…” Cloud cried out, lurching at the unexpected sensation. A gorgeous sight. Restrained, blindfolded, helpless to the throes of shameful pleasure. Sephiroth’s breath vibrated beneath his sternum, the quiet purr of a monstrous angel. He withdrew his hands, smirking with amusement as the young man reflexively thrust into air. 

Sephiroth reached for the vibrator he had chosen and liberally coated the device in liquid silk. With one hand, he exposed Cloud completely. He used the other to rest the toy’s tip against the external ring of muscle.

“What the hell?” Cloud cried out as he tried to kick a foot at Sephiroth’s chest. Whatever this was, it had definitely _not_ been part of their discussion.

Dangerously excited by the fight, Sephiroth lunged in response, sweeping up the backside of Cloud’s right knee and pinning the young man’s thigh between their torsos. “You _will_ become acclimated to this process Cloud. We discussed this. If you want to do this on your own, you’ll have to learn to use certain… assistive devices. Unless you prefer my ministrations?” The words weren’t entirely untrue given the Initiative’s protocols. He was simply taking some liberties for his own pleasure. 

The young man struggled a few moments more, but he was helpless against his captor’s seemingly limitless power. After the writhing subsided, Sephiroth eased the pressure of his body weight back a bit, reigning himself back from the edge. He once again placed the vibrator against Cloud’s opening and slowly advanced. Groans of protest, beautiful as an aria, met his ears as the flexible pink flesh stretched to accommodate. 

Hungrily, Sephiroth brought his mouth to Cloud’s cock, running his tongue along its length. He closed his lips around the turgid shaft and sighed in approval. The protesting groans took on a new quality. Cries of arousal and pleasure mingled with the mewls of discomfort and humiliation to create a symphony dedicated to all things the wicked angel desired. Sephiroth manipulated the toy within slowly and deliberately, searching for the same spot his finger had found. A sharp squirm of the hips and a twitch of Cloud’s stiffness in his mouth told him he was successful. With a flick of his thumb, he turned the vibrator on. 

Unintelligible words burst from the young man’s lips. It was a language Sephiroth comprehended perfectly. It shouted his name. It begged for more. It screamed his praises. It made him painfully aware of how hard he was becoming, how restraining his own clothing was. But he was transfixed by the call of his precious pet, a plea he couldn’t ignore. 

He took Cloud as deeply as he could, watching over the writhing hips to see a sheen of sweat coating his prey’s face. Blond hair was arranged in spikes no longer. It had deteriorated to only a golden mess coating skin and pillowcase alike. Lips were parted, allowing panting breaths to escape unhindered. He sucked strongly and curled the toy in more firmly, increasing the pressure against Cloud’s bundle of nerves.

Unable to help himself, Cloud rocked his pelvis forward, more deeply into Sephiroth’s skillful mouth. He lost willful control of his body. He was nothing more than an instrument being finessed into sound by an angel of darkness, racing toward the crescendo of climax. And he hated himself for his love of that very feeling.

Sephiroth quickened his pace and was met with the sharp cry of orgasm. Thick fluid filled his mouth as an undeniable _need_ filled his groin, but he didn’t slow until every last contraction had subsided. He shut off the vibrator, sliding it gently from its sheath. _Ancients,_ the tightness of that sheath called to his very core. It woke the aggression, the violence that rested just beneath his surface. Dutifully, he spit the procured substance into a container and wiped his mouth clean. He was entranced by Cloud’s body shuddering in the aftermath, muscles overtaken by a pure rush of endorphins. This was what he had dreamt of.

But reality was nothing like dreaming. In dreams, Sephiroth had control of his inner predator. During sleep, he was patient and gentle. While gripped in fantasy, he could provide comfort and walk away from this tempting sight to return another day, gradually nudging toward what he wanted. Yet, reality brought the beast to the forefront. Mako-fueled lust consumed him, and though he had tried earlier, he couldn’t bring himself to resist his demon any longer.

He snatched at his clothing, ripping at the various buckles and zippers to release his skin from its leather cage. A relieved sigh sprung from his chest as his own throbbing girth was allowed free. His vicious green stare razed the young man that he was about to take as his own. He slicked himself, almost growling at the pleasurable friction of his own callouses.

Like a bloodhound on a cat, he pounced. Weak from the intensity of his orgasm, Cloud struggled, but barely. “You got what they needed. Get off me!” A desperate protest against an unstoppable force.

“This isn’t for Shinra. This is for me,” Sephiroth crooned. He flipped the blindfold from Cloud’s eyes. They widened at the sight of him, pure animalistic need reflected in crystalline blue. Roughly, he hiked one of Cloud’s knees up and adjusted himself against the young SOLDIER’s already lubricated hole. A moment of anticipation is all he allowed himself. A quiet thanks to Jenova for the power he had been given. Then, he rocked his hips forward.

Glorious heat gripped his cock. A pained expletive met his ears. He tried to be slow, but the need was too great. He _needed_ to be buried deep within this man, to feel and know and prove that this glorious creature was undoubtedly his. He embodied predator. Brutality. Viciousness.

As the one-winged angel approached his hilt, Cloud pleaded, “Sephiroth please! It’s too much! I can’t!”

Sephiroth paused to dip his head so that his lips whispered against the young man’s ear. “But through suffering, you will grow strong. Isn’t that what you want?”

Molten electricity lanced through his mind, his shoulder, his phantom wing, and he lost himself in carnal fire. He pulled himself from Cloud’s inner hold and thrust again. A beautiful, cruel rhythm overtook him. He possessed. He claimed. He conquered. All while he fucked.

Sephiroth ran his arms beneath Cloud’s back, crushing the young man’s frame to his chest in an act of dominance. Desperately, he forced his mouth against the other’s lips, swallowing the cries that emanated. He unknotted the ropes and let his prey’s bindings fall free, tempting and embracing the struggle to come. Surprise sparked in him when he felt the newly freed arms embrace him, clinging to the source of pain and torment rather than pushing away. He snarled as the words _break in, not broken_ flashed through his mind.

Overcome by a strange, unplaceable feeling, he buried his face in the other man’s hair. He continued rolling his hips, but at a slower, less savage, pace. As he inhaled, he tasted sweat, leather, and mako on his tongue. It soothed him, an oddly heady sedative. He placed his mouth over Cloud’s neck, nibbling appreciatively at the peaceful scent that curbed his gnawing starvation.

Sephiroth set the young man back down, gliding over him while passionately grinding into him. The friction at his groin, against his skin, was balm against raw nerve endings. He felt an odd rubbing at his chest and realized Cloud had nuzzled his face there, the only explanation being that he was clearly exhausted and apparently barely lucid. His breath hitched as a gentle warmth filled his core. He threw his head back at the unusual sensation, silver hair cascading and tickling down his spine. 

Caught between sadistic lust and something entirely foreign, Sephiroth growled with frustrated possessiveness. The muscular contractions around his most sensitive parts brought him to a precipice of pleasure. But the arms clutching his back, the sweat-soaked hair pressed against his chest… it unraveled the fibers of his very being. His arms shook. He thrusted. He soared. He pulled his wing close to his body and dove over the edge, plummeting into an ocean of sweet release. A harsh cry, his own cry this time, met his ears. Every muscle in his body convulsed in time as his poured himself deep within the precious creature beneath him.

Finally sated, Sephiroth let himself slip free and collapsed next to his dazed victim, allowing an arm to rest over the young man’s chest. He panted, trying to shake whatever bizarre haze had overtaken him. Or was it a pre-existent haze that had been penetrated? His thoughts wouldn’t sharpen into anything useful. With the animalistic savagery subsiding, he allowed his gaze to run over the used prey before him. The blue eyes were closed, the breathing ragged. _So much for break in. Shit._ He stroked his fingertips over Cloud’s sternum until the inhalations became smooth and unlabored. Tenderly, he wrapped the young man in charcoal silk and carried his limp form to the adjoining bedroom where recovery would be peaceful and uninterrupted. He found himself running his fingers through blond tendrils, teasing out knots and tangles. His eyes stung, and he leaned in to quietly whisper, “I’ll bring her by tomorrow. I promise.” One last glance, and he padded out of the room, careful to lock the door behind himself.

Cloud lay quietly for a time, letting the protective fog he had wrapped his mind in gradually dissipate. It had all been so strange. So surreal. He felt detached from his body. It was no longer his own. He had been tortured by a monster. A monster who sounded almost regretful once the torture had concluded. A monster who soothed at reciprocated contact. A monster who was perhaps just another victim of Shinra’s brutal experimentation. Perhaps they were both monsters at different phases of evolution. Two souls, tortured by Shinra, now goaded into torturing each other.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Honestly, this chapter gave me fits. The first version took on a life of its own, so I ended up posting it as a stand alone piece entitled "Be Careful What You Wish For". If you prefer the roles reversed, that may be more up your alley.


	5. Cleansing the Palate

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Tifa is allowed to visit Cloud, and the pair engage in a passionate coupling as they each attempt to forget Sephiroth's touch.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This was a requested pairing I wrote about while listening to "Sugar, Honey, Ice & Tea" by Bring Me The Horizon. In stark contrast to the previous 4 chapters, it's consensual (but doesn't necessarily eliminate triggers)!

Cloud woke early that morning. Although, woke was a bit of a relative term. Woke implied sleep, and sleep had been a sparse occurrence last night. The events of the previous day had plagued him, leaving him feeling lost, defeated, confused. In the span of just a few days, his life had been completely upended. He had reported for an assignment, only to be forced into a prison camouflaged as a living space. He had endured torment at the hands of his idol. The Midgar he thought he knew had been completely replaced by a foreign landscape. Today though, he had been promised a taste of normalcy, and he grasped onto it like flotsam in a maelstrom. 

The young SOLDIER turned the shower on, letting the entire bathroom fill with steam before stepping under the refreshing spray. He braced his hands against the tile and let the drops flow over him like they would cleanse his very soul. The water was hot enough to melt off an entire layer of skin. He hoped one layer was enough. Maybe he should scour off a second one just in case. He scrubbed at his body furiously in an attempt to rid himself of the phantom fingertips that infiltrated his memory. 

_Fingertips tickling over his collarbone to excite. Fingertips gently rubbing his sternum to soothe. A fingertip pushing inside. Fingertips… everywhere._

Cloud shook his head, flinging water droplets all around him. With a deep inhale of soap-scented vapor, he tried to clear his nose of the lingering aromas of leather, of sex, of mako. Of Sephiroth. The thought made him shudder in revulsion. He wanted to shower until he felt clean, but after a long while, he conceded that maybe he would never feel clean again. Resigned, he turned the water off and toweled himself dry. 

Thoughts of Tifa, the friend he was to meet with today, brightened his spirits. Their friendship was so warm and familiar, full of laughter and shared stories. Sure, they struggled with some awkwardness from time to time, but most of those teenage complexities were long forgotten. Now, their relationship came easily. Sometimes it was physical. Sometimes it wasn’t. Either way, they had a trust and caring for each other that withstood the tests of time. A smile even found its way to his face while he groomed himself carefully in the mirror, styling his hair into choppy spikes like he usually did. He didn’t necessarily have to impress her, but he didn’t want to worry her either. Between Marlene and the bar and AVALANCHE, she had plenty to fret about already.

It occurred to Cloud that the promise of a visit could have been nothing more than a lie, a twisted combination of bribe and threat to keep him compliant. Getting his hopes up could lead to bitter disappointment, but something about that oddly apologetic tone told him otherwise. Had it really been regret he had heard, or had he merely been incoherent after the abuse? Had those final touches been almost tender, or were they just a stark contrast to the rough brutality preceding them? A knock at the door tore him from his haunted reverie. 

He motioned to open the door, forgetting for a moment that he didn’t possess the ability to do so. At the snick of the lock springing open, Cloud took a deep, steadying breath. He cloaked himself in a relaxed, confident demeanor to keep his friend at ease. The door swung inward, and his breath froze in his chest. Green, cat-slit pupils met his eyes, framed by a long curtain of silver. Memories flashed through him. Feelings of shame, fear, humiliation… even pleasure, though he cringed at the thought.

“Cloud!”

Cloud’s held breath whooshed from his lungs at the squeeze of a firm embrace, snapping him out of his transfixion. “Hey, Tifa,” he smiled and wrapped his arms protectively around the small woman. He maintained a watch over her shoulder at the dark angel in the doorway until a slow blink of long lashes finally broke the eerie emerald stare. 

“I’ll return later to escort you home,” was all Sephiroth said before securing the door and locking the pair in.

“That guy gives me the creeps,” Tifa mumbled into Cloud’s chest, and he chuckled. She drew back from him, hands on his biceps. “Where have you been? I was worried about you. Why are you locked in here? Are you okay?” The questions tumbled from her mouth in a rush, pent up concern surging forth. Always the mother chocobo. Some things just didn’t change. He’d never appreciated it more.

“Slow down, _mom_ ,” he joked, earning himself a playful slug on his chest. “I’m fine. I’m just on a classified assignment. SOLDIER, remember? Weird stuff comes with the territory.” It wasn’t a lie. Not really. Well, maybe the fine part was a bit of a stretch, but he wasn’t _injured_. “Wait, what about you? Why are you getting involved with Shinra business? I thought you hated everything to do with the company.”

Tifa shrugged. “Oh, yeah… Well, you know Shinra,” she mumbled, dodging the question. “They wanted more inroads into the slums to help squash any plans for an uprising, and the bar is such a big part of sector 7. Immunity, protection, informant, blah blah blah.”

“Tifa, they’re _dangerous_. You know that!” Now, it was Cloud’s turn to lecture. He gently shook her shoulders to emphasize his point.

She shot back at him, “I could say the same for you! Besides, you know I’m not just some delicate flower, Cloud. I can handle myself.”

Cloud could only shake his head, grinning at her apparent swagger. She wasn’t wrong. For her slight build, she fought like a rabid behemoth youngling. “Yeah, yeah, whatever. Either way, it sure is good to see you.”

Tifa flashed him one of those perfect smiles that made her crimson eyes twinkle. “How good, exactly?” She put her hands on her hips and cocked her head to the side, waiting for a response. 

So _this_ was how today would start. Not that Cloud was complaining. Maybe this was exactly what he needed to wash the bitter taste of recent events from his mouth. He dipped his head shyly, a touch of pink warming his cheeks, before stepping close and leaning his face to hers. Crimson eyes flirted with sapphire, and Tifa laced her lips with his.

The kiss was chaste initially, soft lips brushing lightly against softer ones, but it wasn’t long before teeth parted to welcome deeper affections. They took turns leading, their tongues intertwined in a playful dance.

_Flashes of static. Forceful mouth against his. Screams lost into the throat of another._

No. No screams today. He forced his mind back to the present, to the beautiful sensations that he was reveling in here and now within the safety of his friend’s arms. Tifa tasted of familiarity, of comfort. She tasted of home. He kissed her long and deep, frantically trying to cleanse his palate.

_Fury, lust, desperation, raw power, unbridled passion._

The sharp tang of iron. “Oh gods, I’m so sorry Tifa!” he exclaimed, pulling back. He had nibbled at her lip much harder than he had intended, drawing blood.

She only giggled and licked away the evidence. “It’s fine Cloud. SOLDIER strength, I get it. Not a delicate flower, remember?”

“Well in that case…” Cloud teased. He placed his hands about her bare middle and lifted her body against his. Tifa gave a small shriek of delighted surprise before wrapping her legs around the young man’s waist. Cloud nipped and suckled at her neck as he carried her to the bedroom. An electric need crackled between them. Each assumed of the other that it was nothing more than a sexual need, a need they had been happy to meet for one another in the past. But below the surface, this burning desire was entirely different. It was a frightened and desperate need. The need to forget, to replace nightmarish memories with rosy new versions.

Upon arrival at the bedroom, Cloud lightly tossed the beautiful bartender onto the mattress and stripped out of his woven uniform top. She feigned a look of offense at such blasé treatment but couldn’t suppress a mirthful smirk for long. The lighthearted, playful interaction was such a welcome poultice to invisible wounds that still ached and bled. Blissfully soothed, Cloud allowed himself to be pulled down onto the linens beside her.

Tifa straddled him, confident in her own athleticism. Splaying her hands wide over his chest, she showered appreciation on the muscle tone beneath his flawless skin. His hips ground up beneath her in return, hardness rubbing against soft warmth. She leaned in to feather kisses along his collarbone, her long brunette hair tickling his skin as it surrounded them.

_Long tendrils, tickling his skin. Silver. Teeth tugging at his earring. Arousal. His own arousal. His own body betraying him by responding._

He blinked his eyes rapidly. Brunette hair. Definitely brunette. It belonged to his friend. He emitted a low sigh, partly in gratitude for the warm sensuality of Tifa’s touch, partly in frustration at his intrusive flashbacks. 

Accepting the sound as a compliment, the slender temptress drew a line of delicate pecks down to his waistband where she unbuckled his belts and tugged his clothing free. Once he was completely nude, she settled herself between his knees. Tension gripped his body in this position, causing his breath to hitch in his chest. Supine. Vulnerable. Exposed. Thankfully, Tifa didn’t notice because she was busy stripping off her own clothing.

She let her suspenders drop from her shoulders and peeled out of her monochromatic top. Cloud reached out to adoringly run his hands along her ribs. He had always found her to be beautiful, but so did everybody else. The woman was soft and round in all the right places, but otherwise toned from learning to fight. 

She leaned forward and let his swollen length nestle between her bare breasts as she tongued at his abdomen. Cloud slowly rolled his hips, soaking in the warmth and friction. Such sweet unashamed pleasure, pure and consensual in origin. She traced lower and lower, eventually taking his cock between her lips and running her tongue around his tip. The damp heat was glorious, and he moaned contentedly. His lips parted, and he let his eyes drift closed.

_A mouth wrapped around his girth, sucking and swallowing. His own thigh pressed against his chest. A toy forcing him open, uncomfortable, unrelenting. Intense vibration throughout his pelvis. A hidden nerve bundle on fire with sensation. Writhing. Physical pleasure. Psychological pain. Shame. Crying out._

Crying out. His own hand grasping at his head as though he could pull the images through his scalp.

“Cloud? Are you okay?” Concern flooded his dear friend’s voice, her ministrations coming to an abrupt halt. It brought him hurtling back to the present.

“Yeah, of course, sorry” he murmured, clumsily attempting to cover up his unexpected detour from reality. “Maybe you can let me take care of you for a little while,” Cloud suggested while he raised himself to his elbows. He couldn’t stand to be in a vulnerable position right now, but he couldn’t stand to tell her why. Didn’t want her to see that he was weak, ashamed. Where would he even begin?

Worry lines covered her face, but Tifa didn’t question him further. She merely kissed him and allowed herself to be rolled beneath his comforting weight. Cloud was quick to erase her worries with his touch. He let his erection rub against her smooth thigh, a tease of his intention. His hands were calloused and strong from wielding his sword, but his caresses were gentle and tender. He cupped her breast, running his thumb over her raised nipple and eliciting a barely audible gasp.

Cloud took his time, savoring the image of Tifa’s slight frame arching under his touch. He felt… better. More in control of himself and his situation. He hooked his fingers into her skirt, and she wriggled her hips to help him slide everything off her legs. Everything except her thin black stockings. Those would stay. Those had always caught his eye, the way they hinted at the sweet apex of her thighs.

He kissed his way back up those lovely thighs, grazing and pinching lightly with his teeth. He could smell the excitement rolling off of her, could feel it in the warmth she emanated. Gods, he wanted to be enveloped in that heat, driving deeply. With one hand, Cloud parted her moist folds, breathing deliberately over all of her most sensitive places. Her writhing hips directed him to continue, and continue he did. Delicately, he traced his tongue alongside her clit, careful not to overwhelm her with sensation too quickly.

The moans she made were confirmation that she was ready for more. He drew lazy circles around the nub, finally setting his lips about it and sucking ever so slightly. She arched and cried out, sounds of pure bliss. Cloud only paused his tongued caresses to wet his fingers with his own saliva. Gently, he eased two digits in, taking care to explore every aspect her inner walls. She was so wet, so _ready_ for him. Still, he chose to draw it out a bit longer, not wanting to let go of this moment.

“Cloud, please, no more teasing. I want all of you inside me,” Tifa begged, desperation creeping into her trembling voice.

Cloud needed no more encouragement. He laid his body out over hers, while she grabbed his cock and guided it to her opening. The first few strokes were slow, small, used to slick himself with her wetness. Then, he plunged completely into her innermost sanctum. Growls came from them both. His was animalistic, a promise of more. Hers was delighted, an appreciation of the sudden fullness. Together, they were a harmony of want and need, the chorus of fucking to forget.

_Except that Cloud couldn’t forget. His hips were rocking forward, but hips were rocking into him. He tried to stop it, but he was too weak from orgasm to even struggle against the ropes. The stretching was too much. He was too full. It stung and ached._

No! He was buried in warm tightness, thrusting into somebody he cared for and trusted. In an effort to shake the haze, he picked up his pace. Tifa wrapped her legs around him, assisting his movements with her own athletic body. She helped him to drive deep, to hit her most pleasurable spot within. The hot friction was divine.

_Friction of a calloused hand. An intrusive finger, hitting_ his _most pleasurable spot within. Trying to bury his face in the pillow. A leathered arm across his chest, holding him to an exam table, to a mattress._

Tifa cried out and shuddered with pleasure. Cloud could feel the convulsions around his aching length. Her orgasm anchored him to the present for a fragile moment. He attempted to slow his movements, to give her a chance to breathe and recover. But he was trying to sprint from his memories through sex. Each thrust, each roll of his hips was another step taken in any direction leading away from yesterday. 

Once she had recovered, Tifa pushed herself up, forcing Cloud back to his knees. She sat over his lap and used her arms as leverage, an active participant in the flight from memory. Her head was buried in his chest. Her arms were wrapped around him. They were both slick with sweat. She clung to him like he would keep her from drowning.

_He was in a fog. He nuzzled his face against his abuser’s chest. His arms were free, and all he could do was cling to the shoulders of his possessor. The twisted angel was slowing mid-fuck, was nibbling so carefully but so hungrily at his neck. Why? Such a brutal pace. Such savagery. Slowing and gentling in his embrace. It. Made. No. Sense._

Cloud cried out. It was a strangled sound, an indication of neither pleasure nor pain. Perhaps it was a cry of frustration or of catharsis. He didn’t know. He just wanted to get away. Tifa clamped her mouth over his, swallowing his cry and placing one of her own upon his lips. He could feel himself getting close. The pressure was building in his pelvis. His whole body was tightening in anticipation. He threw his head back, and Tifa followed suit, arching her ample chest against him.

_Savagery. Tenderness. Pleasure. Pain. Torturing. Soothing._

Skin rubbing against skin. Cock grinding into sheath. Bruised bodies and fractured minds clawing at each other for a grasp on sanity.

_Emerald green eyes. A taunting smirk. Cascading silver hair. The smell of leather, of mako. Skilled hands, skilled tongue, skilled hips. Wrong. Wrong. So very wrong. A monster and a man. No. Just two tortured souls in tandem._

Cloud crushed Tifa to his chest as he came loudly. A sob burst from his lips with climax as his mind rapidly oscillated between present and past. His length throbbed powerfully, propelling his semen as deep into Tifa’s inner chambers as possible. Her vocalizations echoed his own, and her body spasmed hard around his, milking him through his orgasm. They panted against one another for a time, each one lost in their own thoughts, which they wouldn’t dare to share with the other.

With quivering muscles, they shakily dismounted each other and exchanged happily glazed looks of satisfaction. Cloud laid back on the bed, wriggling beneath the comforter and raising an arm to Tifa in invitation. She curled alongside his lithe body, nestling her head onto his chest. The air was heavy with words unexchanged. Neither knew what to say. The intensity of the coupling had already said so much. Cloud ran his fingers through the tangled hair until his friend’s breathing became deep and rhythmic, an indication that she had drifted off to sleep. He, on the other hand, could barely even close his eyes. He had wanted so badly for this to cleanse his palate, but the taste of yesterday was stronger on his tongue than before. The flavor of confusion and shame and mako. Of torment and forced pleasure. 

Of Sephiroth.


	6. Too Exhausted To Be Coherent

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The stress and isolation is having detrimental effects on Cloud. He desperately needs to rest, and hopes that a hot shower will help. A shower in which he gets distracted. And interrupted, of course.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Sorry, everybody. I know this chapter felt like it took forever to put out. The first attempt ended up going completely sideways (thanks so much Crisis Core...), but then I had to finish that thought out before I could come back to this.

It had been days since Tifa had visited him. It had been days since _anybody_ had visited him. He was losing track of time in this windowless basement. Losing track of… reality. So much had happened in the preceding days. Seeing Tifa was supposed to help, to be an anchor to normalcy in this maelstrom. It hadn’t. In fact, it seemed to have the opposite effect, leaving him drifting, lost upon a sea of uncertainty. Her departure had been quick and distracted, with both of their minds clearly elsewhere.

Flashbacks had continued to plague him in his rare moments of fitful sleep, always leaving an itch in the back of his mind. There was a clue hidden within, a key to unlocking… what? What answer was he searching for? Perhaps the answer to why he kept picturing a silver-haired, green-eyed tormentor, even while he was driving deeply into a beautiful woman. Perhaps the answer to why he was being treated so cruelly yet was gifted with instances of such bizarre tenderness. If he was so confused after only a week or so of this kind of treatment, what would he become if Shinra treated him like this for years? It was all too much.

After countless hours pacing his luxurious cell, he found himself back at the door in his bedroom. He knew what was on the other side. He knew he should stay as far away from this door as he could get. Yet he kept ending up here. Maybe he was delirious from lack of sleep. He needed answers. He needed release. He needed sleep. He needed understanding. He needed to know why his knuckles were rapping against the door, creating a thundering echo throughout the room. Why was he calling for his tormentor? Why was silence the only answer? Blissful, tortuous silence. Seconds passed. Maybe minutes. It blurred into an eternity. He wasn’t sure if he was frustrated or relieved by the continued lack of response. Eventually, with no answer, he stepped back, unsure where to turn next. The dissipating adrenaline surge left him weak, exhausted, but he knew any scraps of sleep would be restless and broken like they had been for the last uncounted number of days.

Cloud resumed his pacing, this time ending up in the kitchen. He scoured the cabinets and located the strongest liquor he could find. He knew the mako in his bloodstream would cause him to process it too quickly for it to have much effect, but he tossed back a swallow of the burning liquid anyway. Something, _anything_ , had to bring him down from this edgy state so that he could rest long enough to get a firmer grasp on sanity. Maybe a scalding hot shower would at least ease the tension in his knotted muscles. How he could be so physically tense from inactivity was beyond him. So many things were beyond him right now. He scrubbed his hands over his face for what had to be the thousandth time. 

He stopped at his sink to remove his clothes, folding them with compulsive neatness, like somehow he could regain control of his surroundings if only the lines were made perfect enough. His reflection caught his attention. The image he saw in the mirror was concerning. Pale skin. Darkness encroaching upon the mako-touched eyes. A darkness alarmingly similar to one he had seen elsewhere, now that he looked closely. A hint of flush to the cheeks as though fevered. He turned away, unable to bear looking at himself any longer. 

Cloud twisted the dial to hot, but stepped in before the water had a chance to even begin to warm. Shocked by the cold, even though it was expected, he gasped. A shiver ran down his spine, and goosebumps broke out over his skin. Deep breaths. Welcome the feeling. Embrace it. He slowly filled his lungs, forcing himself to acclimate to the icy spray. As intended, the sudden cold jolted him from his dark spiral of thoughts, yanking him into the sensations of the present. 

Gradually, the water warmed, and Cloud felt the tension in his muscles start to yield under the cascade of cleansing droplets. He ran his hands through his hair a few times, combing out the tangles as previously spiked strands of blond fell heavily against his scalp. He stretched his arms behind himself, inhaling the steam that was starting to form, and focused on deliberately relaxing himself, body and mind. If he could just settle his racing thoughts, maybe he could sleep.

Absentmindedly, he scrubbed himself down, removing the residue of stress and inactivity from his skin. An idea began to quietly form itself as his hand grazed over his thighs. An idea that was potentially dangerous. Yet an idea that might spark the blissful slumber he craved for his own sanity. He chewed at his bottom lip in contemplation. “Fuck it,” he mumbled to himself and let his eyelids drift closed.

Cloud chose to think of Tifa, safe and familiar, soft and supple. Those black stockings she loved to wear. The short skirt, always hinting at the roundness of her lifted backside. He wrapped his hand around his cock and began to slowly stroke himself erect. How long ago had he last spent time like this? He pushed the thought away to picture instead running his hand through her silky hair as he kissed her.

_Silky silver tendrils flowing around the door to the exam room, hanging like a curtain around him while he was entangled in luxurious silk, tickling his skin even when his vision was stolen. Soft lips forced against his own. His cries swallowed._

Not again! Cloud groaned aloud to nobody but himself. Maybe if he just kept his eyes open, the clips wouldn’t have the chance to replay themselves in his mind. _Tifa_ , he reminded himself. He thought of the way she had straddled him, her hands splayed over his torso. He pictured the way her chest sprung free of her top, ample and perfect. Remembering his cock nestled between her breasts, he pumped at himself the way he liked, totally in control of his own pleasure this time. Self-possession. A welcome contrast to the helpless flurry of the past however many days had gone by.

_Possession. Possessed. Hot breath over his stiffening length. Elegant fingers running from base to tip, twisting slightly at the head to enhance the sensation. A tongue flicking away drops of precome that leaked from him._

“ _Bahamut’s asshole_!” he screamed out in frustration. Why couldn’t he erase these images from his mind? And why in the _actual fuck_ was he still hard despite these flashes?! He tore at his hair and smashed his palm against the tiles uselessly. This idea had completely backfired. Now, Cloud was exhausted _and_ aroused _and_ scared to close his eyes to help address either problem. Great.

Unless… Unless he treated it like he did the cold water. Deep breaths. Welcome the feeling. Embrace it. Unless he let it all wash over him and accepted it for no more than what it was. Arousal. Pleasure. After all, there was nobody here but himself. He was in control of the physical in this moment, wherever his mind chose to wander. Disgusted but desperate, he allowed his mind free reign and continued attending to his own pleasure.

***

Sephiroth was finally able to return to his quarters after a long and taxing day. He had been forced to attend meetings with the other overseers of the Initiative. They had been updated on procurement schedule expectations, argued over how long candidates should be kept from other assignments, received information about the addition of a few select Turks to the pool of candidates, and wasted time over various other mundane topics. It had been clear that he had little patience, judging by the number of muttered comments he overheard regarding his “brooding” demeanor.

One of the other overseers had been so bold as to pull him aside after the meeting to remind him that he was “overdue in fulfilling certain requirements.” Sephiroth had growled, “Go fuck your Goddess and all she stands for,” and let his hand twitch menacingly toward Masamune. Fortunately, that had been enough. The man had huffed pettily and walked away, mumbling something about “guilty pouting” under his breath. Only because they had spent so many hours in training and on missions together did Sephiroth let the red-clad, oddly poetic SOLDIER walk away from him unscathed. Thank Gaia most of Shinra’s employees were too terrified of him to approach in such a manner, if at all.

Following the tedious interactions, he had stopped by the battle simulator in an attempt to burn away some of the uncomfortable energy that thrummed beneath his skin. Unsurprisingly, an hour of annihilating even the most challenging threats available in the program had done almost nothing to help. To say it had even taken the edge off was an exaggeration.

Once in his own space, he dropped the attempts, unsuccessful though they had been, to keep his collected, composed façade in place. He stripped out of his leather coat and harness, the material far too constricting against his shoulder blade that itched so painfully of late. Perhaps he had been a little hasty in telling his colleague to fuck off.

Conflicted and impatient, he walked from room to room, unable to focus on any single task. He poured himself a tumbler full of amber liquid, desperate for a calm that had been eluding him since his last interaction with the sapphire-eyed siren. The unplaceable hideous feeling he was left with that day had never completely dissipated, leaving him exceptionally short-tempered and oddly confused. Confusion was unfamiliar territory and, he was sure, unbecoming of him given that Sephiroth was typically so overwhelmingly decisive and confident. He wanted. He took. What was the complication?

Resigned, he settled into his office, unable to resist the temptation any more than a starving man at a feast. He flipped the monitor on and began to flick through different views. An empty kitchen. An empty living room. An empty bed. Sephiroth’s heart stuttered to a screeching halt at the scene he finally came to rest on.

***

Cloud tightened his grip, treating himself more roughly as his sleep-deprived mind wandered down twisted paths. He thought of cat-slit pupils and mako-touched irises. He remembered strong, yet graceful hands tickling and massaging and stroking him. He felt pleasure, unwelcome and unwilling, but pleasure all the same. Phantom hands ran through his hair, over his sternum, and along his thighs. This time, he didn’t fight the memories, but accepted them as a part of himself. While it wasn’t particularly comfortable, it was easier than he had expected.

He drew pearls of precome from the end of his cock, massaging them back along himself. Yet, something seemed to be missing. His build toward climax stalled, even with his thoughts straying wherever they damn well pleased. What did he need to do to take himself over the edge where maybe, just maybe, he could rest? As though on cue, his mind fed him a response.

_A digit, a toy, Sephiroth himself pressing inside of him. It was too much. It was intrusive, but it provided something more, something unexpected. Vibration searing through his pelvis, warming untouched parts of him. A pressure, unfamiliar, but blissful. He hated it. Or more accurately, he hated that it felt so good._

Shit. Desperation warred with denial and disbelief. Cloud’s decision to “accept” hadn’t necessarily included… this. It was a touch he had never asked for, had actively fought when it had happened. Now, here his traitorous physiology was, demanding the sensation be replicated by his own inexperienced hands. In attempted rebellion, he stroked himself harder and more quickly, trying to force himself into an orgasm that lingered out of reach, but his attempts accomplished nothing more than soreness and frustration. 

Defeated, Cloud hung his head and let his almost frantic efforts come to a stop. Water ran over his naked body in warm rivulets, mixing with the stinging drops at the corners of his eyes. He took great inhales of steam, which had grown so thick that he could barely see the bathroom door anymore, like he was in a dream fog. In control of his own pleasure, he reminded himself. He raked his free hand through his hair, cursing both inwardly and aloud at what he was about to do. Then he brought that same hand to his mouth, sucking on a couple of fingers to coat them in as much saliva as he could produce.

It took a few moments of awkward position changes to figure out how he could best reach. He imagined he looked entirely as ridiculous as he felt. Timidly, he explored his own entrance, pressing gently at the puckered flesh. The young SOLDIER breathed deeply while emotions flitted through his chest. Fear of pain, of the unknown, of abuse. Shame over physically craving something he had struggled so hard against. Exhaustion, overwhelming and burdensome.

He grit his teeth and gradually pushed one finger inside. A sigh of both relief and arousal reverberated through the shower. With the sensations completely within his control, there was no pain, no involuntary tensing. He felt his body relax, in so many ways, and began tracing what he could reach of his smooth inner walls. His cock twitched against him in approval, and he couldn’t help but blush, even alone. He toyed with the sensitive tip of his erection while he tried to gently work himself from within.

Defenses and expectations cast aside, Cloud gingerly added a second finger to the first. He took it slow, allowing himself plenty of time to stretch and accommodate. Whether or not he was ready to admit it, the feeling was a good one. Flashes of memory continued to play through his mind, but it was as though the sharp, painful edges were being sanded down. He remembered a feeling, a warmth blossoming through his pelvis, and he tried to probe deeper in search of that elusive spot to set himself on fire.

***

Stunned. Sephiroth was completely, utterly, jaw-droppingly stunned. His body simply froze at the scene playing out before him. This was the last thing he had expected to find.

Unpleasant, unnamable sensations had been flowing through Sephiroth’s veins since their last encounter, and he had avoided the beautiful SOLDIER ever since, unsure of how to proceed. He was sure the young man had shattered during their last interaction, which Sephiroth felt… something… about. His resolve to maintain distance until he had sorted out these ugly feelings evaporated like water in the desert as he watched Cloud pleasure himself through the haziness of shower steam.

Sephiroth let his hand drop to the growing bulge trapped in his uniform, adjusting uncomfortably at the sudden tightness. He should leave it alone. Give the tortured creature time to heal, to recover. He had promised to be gentle and patient. He had been neither, for which he was… remorseful, he supposed. Or something like that.

Oh, but _promised land,_ the precious creature was repositioning. Was reaching lower. Was reaching behind. Was. _Fuck._ Was starting to finger himself.

Sephiroth’s restraint snapped like a strip of elastic that had been stretched past its breaking point. Hastily, the demonic angel flipped the monitors off and strode from his office. He only stopped by his bathroom to strip out of the remainder of his clothing, grab a few luxuriously fluffy towels, and retrieve a bottle of silky lubricant before he unlocked the door to Cloud’s quarters and made his way closer to his undoing.

***

Cloud continued to stroke himself languidly while he tried to mimic the intense pleasure he had only experienced at the hands of another. Despite his efforts, he couldn’t quite seem to find the mysterious location, and he was becoming aggravated. Not that what he was feeling was bad. It was simply inadequate in comparison. He leaned against the cold tiles, trying to shift his angle to reach just a little deeper. Cool air eddied against his skin, a sharp contrast to the scalding hot water.

Cool air? Cloud’s eyes widened, and he abruptly stopped what he was doing. He could feel his heart racing while he peered into the thick wall of steam. Movement against the opposite wall startled him, and he hissed as the hazy outline of a tall, long-haired man came into focus. Through the white vapor, his tormentor looked almost insubstantial, a terrifying silver specter in the mist.

Sephiroth eyed the young SOLDIER predatorily from the doorway. He could feel his demon stirring strongly within, begging for another chance to claim this beautiful prize. Cloud’s naked body pressed against the far wall of the shower, beautiful and perfect even in its fear.

“Sephiroth,” he croaked. “What the hell are you doing here?”

The silver-haired angel smirked and looked up from behind long lashes. “Offering assistance” he purred seductively.

Cloud bristled as Sephiroth approached, taking note that his captor’s body was as bare as his own. His mind swam at the blend of pale skin, silver hair, and white fog. The warlord moved so fluidly that he was hard to track in the haze. He could barely think, but he knew two things for certain. The first was that his escape route was blocked. The second was that, even when he felt his best, he was overpowered by this man. In this moment, he didn’t have a chance, and he was all too aware.

Sephiroth stepped under the scorching spray, a soft hiss escaping his lips at the sudden heat. His eyes were narrowed, encircled in darkness and desire. Why did his prey insist on tempting him like this when he was trying so hard to be better? Predatorily, he pulled Cloud close and let out a low growl. “I said assistance, not a handout,” he stated, cocking an eyebrow in expectation.

When Cloud didn’t move, he wrapped one arm around the young man’s trim waist, using the other to coax the muscled shoulders forward. There was a surprising amount of compliance. It even seemed as though Cloud was struggling to support his own weight because he leaned into Sephiroth ever so slightly, barely enough to be perceptible. A silent thrum vibrated through the dark angel’s chest in response.

Soft lips whispered through blond hair and ghosted against Cloud’s ear. “Do you dream of me?”

Trembling with a mix of fear and exhaustion, the SOLDIER squeezed his eyes shut and nodded the shameful admission. Yes, dreams of this silver specter visited him. Nightmares. Filled with pleasure and pain and arousal and shame. Always taunting with their hidden answers to questions unknown.

Sephiroth purred at the response. He traced his nails along the strong cut of Cloud’s spine and delighted at the resulting shudder. Inhaling deeply, he kissed along the shorter hairs at the nape of Cloud’s neck. That scent, that flavor from before invaded his senses. Leather, mako. Comfort. Peace. Strangely, he could feel his desperate desire lose an edge to its savagery, though not its intensity. 

Cloud was forced to extend an arm to brace himself against the tile before he lost his balance entirely, loath to rely on the strength gripped around his hips. Long, elegant fingers intertwined with those of his free hand, guiding him to touch himself as he had before he was interrupted. His traitorous cock twitched at the renewed contact.

“Show me, Cloud. Show me what you like,” the deep voice from his childhood dreams and recent nightmares crooned.

At first, Cloud hesitated. He tried to repeat his earlier mantra. Deep breaths. Embrace it. The meditation was challenging, but it eased the stinging in his eyes, made him feel as though the wetness on his lashes was from the shower water alone. Once he felt collected enough, he resumed his stroking. His captor’s hands continued to dance over his skin, but he tried to welcome the feeling rather than fight it.

He couldn’t stop his breath from hitching, however, when he heard the increasingly familiar click of a plastic cap. Legs wobbly, he almost stumbled as the arm about his waist released him for a few brief moments. Yet, Sephiroth caught him easily, lifting gently to bear some of his weight.

“Don’t stop,” the warlord instructed, voice dripping with lust and want. He spread the lubricant over Cloud’s entrance as the SOLDIER obediently fisted his own length. “Relax for me, Cloud,” he husked as the ring of muscle tightened under his touch.

Cloud felt his body instinctively shy away from the intimate contact, but he focused on overriding it. He let his mind drift to the feeling from only a few minutes ago, when it had been nothing more threatening than his own hand. This time, when Sephiroth’s finger penetrated him, he felt only pleasure. Shameful, blissful pleasure, and he groaned loudly at the sensation that he hated to enjoy.

Sephiroth felt his own hardening length jump at Cloud’s muscles inviting him within. He rolled his hips against the young man’s thigh just to feel a bit of relief. Boldly, he joined a second finger to the first, and marveled at how the slick tightness welcomed him this time. “Cloud, you’re taking me so well now,” he encouraged, placing a few hungry kisses along the man’s shoulders.

Weakly, Cloud allowed his chest to fall harder against the arm holding him. He ran his thumb along his sensitive tip, overwhelmed by stimulation. With all thoughts of resistance thrown to the wind, he ground himself back onto Sephiroth’s knuckles, chasing the feeling he had been unable to reproduce alone.

Sephiroth chuckled devilishly at the unexpected response, so different from their previous interaction. So desperate for his touch, now. “I know what you want, Cloud. Writhe for me.”

And Cloud did. He pumped his fist between his legs, pushing himself closer and closer to climax. He writhed against Sephiroth’s ministrations, pleading silently. No, not silently. Loudly. His own voice was reaching his ears. Unintelligible utterances mingled with an occasional begging cry for more, please, more. Then, Sephiroth curled his fingers against Cloud’s prostate, igniting the fire that his prey had failed to light on his own.

A few more strokes, and the pressure became too much. He felt his body contract, ready to peak at last. Cloud let out a choked sob as he finally came. Thick seed spurted over his torso, and he ground his hips into the sensation. As his orgasm slowed, what little energy he had left was sapped from him, and he collapsed against the tall warlord.

Sephiroth was startled as Cloud’s weight suddenly sagged onto him. He wrapped his arms protectively around the limp body, experiencing a rare anxiety as he assessed. With his mako-fueled predator abruptly silent, he noticed things he hadn’t been able to see from the cameras. Things that concerned him deeply. Cloud looked unwell. His color was off, like he was ill. When Sephiroth called out, Cloud briefly opened his eyes, but the usually glittering sapphires appeared dull, as though the dark circles that surrounded them were absorbing all the light they typically radiated. How hadn’t he noticed before? The usually fearless warlord felt an icy weight squeeze against his chest and drop heavily into his stomach. In that moment, he knew that his snarling demon really had broken this glorious creature.

Tenderly, he tried to wash Cloud’s body off while supporting his limp form. He rested his hand over the young man’s chest. The heartbeat was fast, too fast, and weak. Sephiroth thought back on his time watching the monitors. Not once had he seen Cloud close his eyes for more than a few minutes. Or eat. Or drink. He’d assumed it had just been coincidental, not that Cloud simply hadn’t done those things _at all_.

He guided the slighter form to the fluffy towels, and Cloud clung to him weakly. It… unraveled something in him. Similar to their last encounter. That unnamable foreign sensation. He shook his head in an effort to clear his mind. There were matters at hand that required his attention. He helped Cloud slowly slump to a seat the floor and hastily dried him off, wrapping him in a towel. Nervous to leave his half-conscious pet for even a few moments, he rushed to the kitchen and returned with water in hand.

“Cloud,” he called. “Cloud, you’re dangerously dehydrated. You have to drink something.” He crouched down and brought the water to Cloud’s mouth.

Cloud feebly pushed the water away. “I just need to rest,” he mumbled, barely coherent.

“Cloud!” Sephiroth’s voice took on the stern quality of a commander, all seduction and taunting completely replaced by a tinge of unexpected worry. “You haven’t had water in several days, then you got in a blazing hot shower and chose that moment of all moments to… to get your heart rate up. You either drink this or I’m hauling you to the exam room for intravenous fluids.”

Something about the threat must have resonated because Cloud accepted sips of water from the bottle that Sephiroth held to his lips, sputtering a bit on the chilly liquid. Sephiroth ran a hand through soaked golden locks, brushing stray tendrils away from Cloud’s face. Why in all the promised land did his chest feel so godsbedamned tight? It was so much more uncomfortable than the predatory vibrations under his sternum that he had grown accustomed to, screaming at him to _protect_ rather than _possess_. Some other side effect of the foreign cells within his body he supposed.

Cloud began to shiver as the cool water in his stomach stole whatever heat was leftover from his time in the shower. Suddenly freezing, he settled against the warmth of Sephiroth’s still bare skin and felt Sephiroth go very still at the voluntary contact. The stress had taken its toll rapidly during his time in this underground maze. He felt fragile, as unlike SOLDIER as he could imagine. Exhausted in ways he couldn’t describe, he rested his head against Sephiroth’s chest, letting the strong heartbeat temper his shallow breathing. He knew, somewhere, that he was terrified of the being that he was leaning on, but he didn’t have enough energy to care. It was warmth. It was comfort. Even if it was so utterly wrong.

Sephiroth held his breath for a few moments, at a complete loss. He knew that his very presence evoked terror in those around him, so this was… Different. Gently, he scooped the broken creature into his arms, carrying him easily to the bedroom despite the heavy weight of limp muscle. With great care, he tucked Cloud beneath the linens and hesitated. The shivers hadn’t stopped. Whether they stemmed from cold or prolonged stress, he couldn’t be sure. He raked a hand through his thick curtain of damp silver hair, conflicted. _Protect_ , that foreign, silent voice urged him from somewhere in his mind.

He let loose a deep sigh, frustration mounting at his own indecision. It certainly didn’t appear he could make things any worse. Snarling at himself, Sephiroth finally joined his pet beneath the comforter, keeping only a sheet between them. He planted himself against Cloud’s back and wrapped an arm around the man’s chest, pleased that the shivers seemed to lessen with the addition of his body heat. 

He found himself stroking Cloud’s sternum, a lazy petting motion that slowed both of their pulses. “Mako enhancement doesn’t replace basic human needs, Cloud. Food, water sleep,” he chided, not knowing whether his words would ever be heard.

“You forgot one.” A drowsy, barely audible response. Sephiroth wasn’t even sure he had heard correctly.

“Mmm?” he asked, brows furrowing in question. This time, he received no response, only the heavy breathing sounds of sleep.

Cloud drifted, finally, on the waves of rest. Everything seemed so hazy, like he was in a dream trance that he couldn’t quite push through. There was unexpected warmth and comfort surrounding him. He should be scared, should be fighting. Yet there was nothing, no reason, to fight. 

That pesky itch tickled at his mind again. An answer, a clue. A key. _Mako doesn’t replace basic human needs. Food. Water. Sleep._

 _You forgot one_. It was like a lock audibly snicked open.

_Touch._

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I wasn't sure about this chapter when I wrote it. Honestly, I'm still not, even though I've got some ideas for the next chapter already that feed off this one. Really though, don't get severely dehydrated, jump in a hot shower, and play with yourself. It is a physiologically bad idea. That being said, it is also a bad idea to lock somebody up, abuse them, and cause them so much stress that they forget to take care of themselves. Please, for the love of Gaia, don't do that either.


	7. Overseer and Attendant

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> An unexpected, but familiar *cough Genesis cough*, guest invites himself into Sephiroth's living space, where he offers Cloud a bit of training in "procurement technique".

Cloud’s eyelids fluttered open after many blissful hours of rest. There were no dreams, no nightmares. No flashbacks. He sighed contentedly, wrapped in safety and warmth, a hand petting over his chest.

_Basic human needs. Food. Water. Sleep. …Touch. Wait, what?_

Foggy memories returned to him, and he sat straight up, in a panic, to shift away from the lithe muscle beside him. Realizing he was still naked, he pulled the bed linens around himself defensively. His breath caught in his throat when he saw Sephiroth, in all the warlord’s pale glory, dressed in a standard First Class uniform, curled around the spot where his own body had just been. Yet there was a wariness, an uncertainty in those glittering eyes that he wasn’t used to.

“What are you doing here?” he asked, even though he vaguely remembered shivering uncontrollably until the heat of bare skin calmed him. The man must have dressed while he slept.

Sephiroth stood, seamlessly transitioning from languid bed mate to rigid, military master. “It is my responsibility to ensure your well-being, especially considering you’ve been doing a piss-poor job of it yourself,” he replied tersely. 

Icy walls were up in an instant, covering whatever flickers of hesitation Cloud thought he had seen there. 

“Get dressed,” Sephiroth commanded. “You’re coming with me, Cloud. You still desperately need hydration, and you need to eat. I cannot trust you’ll do it on your own.”

Cloud glared defiantly, but knew he didn’t have much choice in the matter. After all, he _had_ collapsed in the shower after several days of self-neglect. Sephiroth turned away, arms crossed, to allow Cloud the opportunity to slip into clothing privately.

Despite being confused by the seemingly split personalities, the young SOLDIER quickly dressed himself, more than happy to be putting clothes _on_. He was hesitant to follow Sephiroth through the door, though. Memories lived there. Nightmares. Yet today, he could sense no predatory seduction in the air, so he set his shoulders, steeled himself, and overcame the fear. The walk through the angel’s living space was silent, with no words exchanged. Only once they reached the kitchen did Sephiroth even acknowledge Cloud, gesturing to a stool at the counter and setting a glass of water before him.

When Cloud made no move to lift it, Sephiroth scowled. “My threat still stands. Either you will drink, or I’ll pin you down and force it into your veins. The choice is yours.”

Like a sullen teenager, Cloud sniffed before taking a gulp of the offered beverage. The immediate cold sensation washing through his empty stomach reminded him that, yes, he really did need it. Not even pretending to put up a fight anymore, Cloud drank greedily, a bit embarrassed by the whole situation. Appeased, Sephiroth plucked a protein bar from a cupboard and added it to the counter with a clear look of expectation on his face. 

Cloud flinched at a sudden, loud banging on the door, spilling water on himself in surprise. An unfamiliar voice shouted loudly, “Sephiroth, if you don’t open this door right now, Goddess help me, I will blast my way through with all the materia at my disposal!”

Sephiroth dropped his head into his hand, squeezing at his temples. The frantic pounding grew even louder. The dark angel snarled and yanked the door open, nearly taking it off its hinges. An auburn-haired man stood there. While his unique coat was a deep red color, the rest of his uniform was otherwise familiar enough to be recognizable as First Class. 

“Genesis, now is _not_ a good time,” Sephiroth growled.

Clearly unfazed, the stranger pushed past Sephiroth and into the living space. “I don’t give a damn whether you think it’s a good time or not. I warned you yesterday, and now Hojo is on a war path. Besides, I can see in the way you move that…. Who’s this?” He cocked an eye at the counter where Cloud was seated.

Sephiroth blinked dangerously slowly, interjecting a frustrated sigh. “This is Cloud Strife, one of the candidates.”

The unfamiliar SOLDIER, Sephiroth had called him Genesis, looked back and forth, surveying the scene. Cloud tried to maintain a neutral look while he brushed distractedly at the water he’d spilled. Sephiroth merely glared. Genesis tucked his chin-length hair behind an ear and cocked an eyebrow questioningly. “Ah. Pretty. Guilty pouting, I presume?”

“Get to the point, or get the fuck out,” Sephiroth snapped.

“My _point_ is that your shoulder is on fire, and if we wait much longer, it’ll be too late. You know it. I know it. Hojo knows it, and that sick bastard is going to be after you with all the force of Shinra if you don’t hurry up and cooperate.”

As if the words created the very sensation they described, the wicked angel stretched and flexed his right shoulder uncomfortably. That painful itch had indeed intensified into a near constant burn that seemed to lance into the depths of his spine. “Fine,” he hissed venomously before turning on his heel and storming away from the kitchen. 

Glancing at Cloud, Genesis smirked. “Since you’re here, you can try to keep him calm. Well, calmer at least. He’s let this go entirely too long, and he’s usually a little snarly about it anyway,” he directed as he followed Sephiroth, who looked like he was about to bring the walls crashing down around them all.

“Hnn?” Cloud questioned, eyebrows raised in confusion. He didn’t get a reply, but his presence was clearly expected. Curiosity stole over him, and he followed the taller men down the hallway.

Upon reaching the exam room, which Cloud still cringed at, Sephiroth peeled out of the tight woven top. This was the first time Cloud had really looked at the warlord’s back, and it was an impressive sight to lay eyes upon. Defined muscle gracefully patterned its entirety, covered by flawless pale skin. Flawless, except around the right shoulder blade, where there was a brutal-looking scar. The surrounding area was red and swollen, and Cloud swore he could see something alien ripple beneath the surface.

_One-Winged Angel._

Cloud’s mouth gaped. Genesis caught him staring and tsked at him, motioning to a stool that sat at one end of the exam table. In complete shock, Cloud complied, more than happy to sit as his legs buckled beneath him.

“Lay down, Sephiroth,” Genesis ordered.

“I’ll be fine seated,” Sephiroth replied, a distinctly glacial note to his tone.

“We’re doing this my way, or I’ll leave it to Hojo and his minions. I’m not going to have you jumping around when I do this.”

Seething, Sephiroth moved himself into a prone position on the table, letting his right arm dangle off the side. The movement brought his snarling face close to Cloud’s chest, who cringed away, a bit intimidated by the rage he sensed rolling off the warlord. Sephiroth rested his head on his other arm, curling the hand tightly into a fist.

“Shit, you let it get bad this time,” Genesis mumbled, brushing Sephiroth’s hair aside and visually assessing the inflamed area before gathering a few supplies. Another week and the skin would have split open, allowing bone and feather to protrude. He winced inwardly. The growth of a wing had triggered ill responses in the original experiments. Responses so bad that Hojo had literally cut the abominations off when given the opportunity by Shinra, sewing the wounds crudely shut, and developing some sort of growth inhibitor to prevent a recurrence. The wings indicated monstrosity and brought back sad and painful memories, ones Genesis would rather forget, to mind.

Sephiroth said nothing, but hissed in pain as the auburn-haired SOLDIER cleaned the area with gauze and antiseptic solution. 

“What are you going to do?” Cloud asked, his stomach already turning at the stringent smell.

Genesis sighed, exasperated. “Inject the area with a concoction of medications. Chemotherapy drug. Numbing agent. Steroid. A low dose of mako. It’ll help destroy the cells that aren’t supposed to be there, like a cancer. The self-that-isn’t-self. It’ll regenerate over time, but, at least this treatment holds a full-blown unfurling at bay. Has he told you nothing?”

Cloud furrowed his brow and shook his head slowly. 

“Enough. Get on with it,” Sephiroth spat.

“So impatient,” Genesis chided. “Strife, was it? You’re clearly his attendant, so attend him.”

“His what?”

“Oh, in the name of the Goddess! _Really?_ For fuck’s sake Sephiroth.”

“ _Genesis, I said get on with it!”_

Genesis threw his hands up in the air, clearly frustrated by something beyond Cloud’s comprehension. “Fine, take a deep breath. And remember, it wouldn’t be so bad if you hadn’t waited,” he huffed.

An animalistic snarl ripped from Sephiroth’s throat as Genesis slipped a needle beneath the edge of the scar. Cloud watched pain lance across the warlord’s face, and he couldn’t fathom the intensity required to cause such a strong reaction from this legend. He saw Genesis’s eyes flick to his own for a brief moment, then back to the task at hand.

_Food. Water. Sleep. …Touch._

Cloud felt impossibly torn. This was the man that terrified him, that had tormented him. Maybe Sephiroth deserved this pain, this suffering. Yet, for some reason, Cloud couldn’t find it within himself to be so cold or so calloused as to ignore it. Not when his own sanity had been tested after mere days of torture. Not when he knew what it felt like to be deprived of basic human needs. Not when he knew that the man before him was perhaps what he would have become if Shinra had raised him and experimented on him repeatedly. A feeling of empathy overwhelmed him, and Cloud reached out to place a hand onto his captor’s forearm, squeezing reassuringly

“Shhhh, it’s okay,” he whispered, not really sure what to say or why he was saying it. Images came to mind of Sephiroth coaxing him to drink, wrapping around him to stop him from shivering, rubbing his sternum until his heart rate and breathing slowed. 

A low whine emanated from the powerful creature as Genesis began injecting, a tortured sound completely at odds with everything he embodied. Cloud wrapped a hand gently around the back of Sephiroth’s neck, guiding him into stillness. Through this point of contact, the young SOLDIER could feel short, shallow panting. “Breathe, Sephiroth,” he coaxed. Soothingly, Cloud combed through the long silver hair, mimicking the way Sephiroth had smoothed and detangled his own blond mess while he had been barely conscious.

“A couple more Seph,” Genesis warned apologetically.

_Seph?_ Cloud wrinkled his nose. To even think of calling the icy warlord something so casual seemed laughable. Sephiroth’s long lashes parted during the short reprieve, and the cat’s eye gaze met mako-touched sapphire. It was as though steel and ice simply melted away to reveal pain, uncertainty, sorrow, and a fragile longing beneath the cold exterior. Briefly, a glint of amusement flickered across the emerald irises, and a corner of his lip twitched at Cloud’s expression before his face contorted again under Genesis’s work.

It felt bizarre, wrong really, to be providing comfort to the one who had tormented him, but there was an empathy within that he couldn’t suppress. A sense of likeness or understanding that somehow made sense but was simultaneously beyond his comprehension. With logic failing, Cloud let instinct guide him and released Sephiroth’s forearm to twine their fingers together instead, an offer to share some of the pain.

When Sephiroth began to squeeze, Cloud leaned in close and found himself cradling the man’s head against his chest with his free arm. Genesis looked at him and gave a small smile and nod of approval. He could feel Sephiroth pressing against his breastbone, strangely helpless, like a child clinging to a parent in pain and fear. It tugged at some deep part of him, and he curled in protectively, somehow averse to seeing Sephiroth in such distress. “Almost done, Sephiroth,” he said softly into the curtain of white, hoping he was correct.

Genesis massaged along the scar line when he was through. “Sephiroth, rest for a few minutes. I know how well you follow instructions, so I’ll rephrase. Do. Not. Move. Cloud, with me,” he instructed, beckoning at the golden-haired SOLDIER. Sephiroth didn’t seem to fight, but rather sighed in relief at the cessation of the brutal treatment.

With a last soothing pet, Cloud left Sephiroth’s side to follow Genesis into the hallway. His empathy didn’t exactly translate to a feeling of safety at being left in the same room alone with the warlord.

As soon as the door was closed behind them, Genesis rounded on Cloud. “I’m not even certain where to begin with you, Strife, but I’ll need to make it short before he starts getting temperamental. You share quarters with your overseer, which means he’s chosen you as his attendant. We may have additional responsibilities, but we’re participants as much as the rest of you.” 

_Chosen by Sephiroth?_ _An attendant?_ Cloud’s mind was whirling. The air was like honey, too thick to breathe properly, and it made him dizzy. 

“What he _should_ have done was trained you in procurement technique, so that you, when requested, could help with his procurement schedule, much like he’s _supposed_ to help with yours. However, he clearly hasn’t done this because he’s overdue, and Hojo is pissed about it, whining about not having the DNA of his ‘legendary specimen’ and such to the president and anybody else that’ll listen.”

“Hnn?” Cloud asked dumbly, staring but barely understanding.

Genesis rolled his eyes. “Is that all you say? Is this whole team socially inept? Gaia. No wonder you both seem so sullen and broody. Look, Strife. He’s a better person than he thinks he is. You never met Hollander, but he was a lot like Hojo, maybe worse.”

Cloud didn’t want to imagine worse. The mako treatments he had endured under Hojo’s care were bad enough.

“The things he did… they fucked us up. We all thought we were monsters, but at least we thought we were together in it. That is, until Sephiroth tried to save me from degradation, offering himself into an experimental transfusion protocol, and then was turned away because he was somehow different. That’s when he snapped. Because he was somehow too tainted, too much a monster to be able to save his friend. I’ve recovered. I’ve accepted who and what I am. Him? I don’t know if he ever has. But Cloud. There’s good in him.”

_Two souls, tortured in tandem._

Their conversation was halted by the sound of movement on the other side of the door. Cloud, dumbfounded, followed Genesis back into the room where he was already chiding at Sephiroth. The young SOLDIER was floored by the tenacity of this mysterious person, who acted like the warlord’s equal.

“Like I said, bad at following instructions. Sephiroth, you know that’s not all you were overdue for. The lab was expecting a specimen from you a week ago, and they’re still waiting. What the hell is going on?”

Sephiroth snorted and looked deliberately away, though Cloud could barely discern a faint tinge of pink to his cheeks.

“Honing those communication skills too, I see,” Genesis continued. “Look, I’m already here, Seph. We both already know how this goes. We trained together for this project…”

An animalistic growl interrupted.

Genesis threw his hands up, a common theme during his interactions with the silver-haired warlord. “Albeit grudgingly, relax. I remember you being a bit too clinical for my tastes. All I’m saying is, we could do this now, which would put you back on schedule and off the radar, and Cloud here could learn in the process.” 

The faint tinge Cloud had noticed before upon Sephiroth’s face was rapidly progressing to a distinct shade of red. Though, judging by the way they felt, his own cheeks were likely sporting a similar color. 

“Or, you can train him, using me for demonstration, and let him use his new skill set after I leave. To be fair though, you’re already half-undressed, and I think I’ve got a certain knack for training,” he said, grinning wickedly at his own fingernails.

An awkward silence hung heavy in the atmosphere, the tension crackling like static.

Genesis raised his eyebrows, looking back and forth between the two men who were very deliberately looking at anything but each other. “Do you gentlemen need a moment to discuss my offer?”

“No,” they both muttered simultaneously. 

Sephiroth was the first to elaborate, carefully choosing his words. “Your own depravity brings into question your intentions,” he grumbled, earning a haughty sniff from Genesis. “Yet, I shall admit that your suggestion may be preferable to the alternative.” 

Cloud’s gaze snapped to the one-winged angel, who was now scowling at the floor. He was too stunned to protest. Once again, his world was tilting on its axis, and it felt like gravity was not strong enough to keep him from sliding off the edge.

Genesis anchored him, clapping an arm on his shoulder. “Then Cloud and I will have a discussion while you get ready.” He guided Cloud to a counter, turning them both away to allow Sephiroth a moment without staring eyes. While he shrugged out of his coat and plucked a few items from the cabinets, he gave a brief overview of, what he called, the basics. “The current schedule has overseers due at least once every two weeks, other participants more frequently.” 

Cloud tracked Genesis’s movements, but only half heard the words he uttered. The rapid fluttering in his chest was far too distracting. Genesis and Sephiroth couldn’t actually be expecting him to… No. 

“You have three options for collection: a specimen container, what they use during the intake exam that basically amounts to a condom, or you can utilize your mouth to catch and later transfer to the container.” Genesis laughed at Cloud’s eyes going impossibly wide. “Judging by the face you’re making, we’ll skip option three.” Abruptly, he grabbed the young man’s hands, inspecting carefully. “Good, fingernails short. Keep them that way. I believe in both safety and cleanliness.”

A loud crinkling noise drew Cloud’s attention. Sephiroth was naked, laying back onto the exam table, and the sight of his completely bare body was paralyzing. Tension gripped each of Cloud’s muscles, and he heard an echo in his mind, “ _Sephiroth please! It’s too much!”_ A hand at the nape of his neck caused him to gasp and jump.

“Cloud?” Genesis questioned worriedly. He rubbed reassuringly until the young SOLDIER calmed. “It’s going to be okay. We’ll do this together, and I’ll keep things simple and straightforward.”

Cloud, still intimidated, hung back as Genesis approached Sephiroth. Life seemed like it was coming full circle, and he couldn’t even begin to be ready for it. He overheard Genesis speaking with the warlord. “Can we put your feet up? I know it brings back unfortunate memories from the lab, but it’s much easier for teaching.” He watched Sephiroth rake a hand through his hair before nodding in resignation and allowing himself to be positioned much as Cloud had been when they first met, vulnerable and exposed. “Thank you, Seph. Do you want a blanket or anything?”

After Sephiroth shook his head, Genesis motioned for Cloud to join them. The blond SOLDIER was reluctant, but obedient, taking up a position between the warlord’s knees, where Genesis had indicated. He pointedly avoided looking at the man’s nakedness, instead watching the red-headed stranger as he waited for direction.

“The first step is, obviously, arousal, but under no circumstances do I approve of drugging each other into it like Hojo insists on doing. It is highly unpleasant, and the lingering effects are exponentially more miserable. The two of you will likely work out the details between yourselves, but for our purposes today, I’d recommend you start by lightly stimulating erogenous zones. Ultimately, I suspect he’ll respond better to you than me.”

Cloud managed a quiet, strangled sound that earned him a smirk from Genesis. He glanced across the nude form before him. Sephiroth was notably turned away, adamantly refusing to make eye contact. Part of him wanted to say he couldn’t do this, but the encouraging presence of this random stranger pushed him to indulge his morbid curiosity. Besides, he had learned in the last week that there was very little he could get out of in this place.

Timidly, he placed a hand on Sephiroth’s inner thigh, tracing along the smooth skin. Goosebumps rose in his wake, and he repeated the motion on the opposite side. He tried not to think too hard, tickling over hips and ribs, and massaging at the creases where leg met pelvis while carefully avoiding any direct contact with the warlord’s swelling length.

“Good Cloud. I told you he’d be responsive to you. Exceptionally so, it appears. You needn’t be so impersonal in the future, but I understand it can be a bit challenging to be intimate with a non-involved party hovering nearby. Now, the eventual goal will be climax, so why don’t you experiment a bit and find a rhythm he enjoys?”

Cloud couldn’t help himself. He stared stupidly, like he had never stroked even himself before to know what felt good. Meanwhile, Sephiroth remained still aside from the steady rise and fall of his chest and the occasional reflexive twitch of his arousal. Genesis waited, a patient instructor, for Cloud to finally wrap around the swollen girth and give a few testing strokes.

Sephiroth’s response was quiet, understated. No more than a soft sigh at the welcome friction. Cloud thought of the way he pleasured himself and of the way he had been pleasured by Sephiroth. It repulsed him, or maybe he only wished it did, but he tried to mimic the movements until he heard the telltale crinkle of exam paper that indicated difficulty suppressing movement.

“That’s enough for now, Cloud. Keep in mind that, without the additional prostatic fluid that we’re going to coax into the mix, the mako-altered pH of the mix will render the DNA useless. Bringing him close is good, but we don’t want to bring him over the edge until we’re providing the proper stimulation, which brings us to the next, possibly most important, step.”

Cloud released his hold hurriedly, as though he feared being bitten. He focused on Genesis, trying to ignore the sudden tension visible in Sephiroth’s thighs. That tension made him uneasy. It reminded him of what that barely contained energy had done to him so cruelly in the past.

“While toys work as well, I encourage beginners to use their fingers so that you can actually feel what you’re doing. But no matter what you use in the future, lube,” Genesis waggled a bottle in emphasis. “Every time. And be generous about it.”

He took Cloud’s hand in his, applying the cool substance to Cloud’s fingers as well as his own. Cloud felt his face redden. A familiar crinkling distracted his attention for a few moments, and he noticed Sephiroth’s fingers wrapped around the sides of the table.

“I’ll demonstrate first. You follow. Sephiroth tends to be a bit _uptight_ , or he was during training anyway, so take it slow at first. There is no reason this whole process can’t be perfectly enjoyable. At least, that is what my team and I have found.”

Genesis rested his moistened fingertips against the warlord’s entrance, letting Sephiroth twitch and resettle before gently rubbing lazy circles around the puckered flesh. He would shallowly dip a fingertip in without truly penetrating, in no apparent hurry whatsoever. When he finally withdrew his touch, he nodded to Cloud.

“Now, I’m going to keep him pleasantly distracted so that you can work at your own pace, but when it’s just the pair of you, either of you can do what I’ll be doing.”

“Genesis,” Sephiroth warned, a little breathily. “Stop acting like I can’t hear you.” His words were lost, however, as Genesis wrapped elegant fingers around his impressive length and started running strongly from base to tip and back again.

Cloud swallowed hard and attempted to steel himself. His hands were quite literally shaking, but he followed the instructions he had been given and pressed his fingertips to Sephiroth’s slickened opening. The ring of muscle clenched at his touch, and a hiss met his ears. Though his mind screamed for him to pull away, he instead massaged delicately, feeling Sephiroth gradually relax. There was a bit of a heady feeling at having Shinra’s military hero, his former idol, hypnotized under his ministrations, a feeling that was perhaps making his uniform a bit uncomfortably snug.

Genesis was still working Sephiroth’s cock meticulously when he caught Cloud’s gaze. He let his eyes rove over Cloud’s body once and cocked his eyebrow in amusement at the young SOLDIER’s telling shift of the hips. “Go ahead,” Genesis mouthed, “just one.”

Cloud bit into his lower lip and slowly advanced his index finger. Sephiroth snarled and lifted his head to glare at Cloud, who froze at the sight of a familiar predatory gleam.

“Sephiroth,” Genesis chided. “You’ll scare him. Just lay back and relax. Try to enjoy, even.”

Still unnerved, Cloud dared to reach out with his free hand to massage taut abdomen and trace muscle and rib. Something about the motion must have soothed Sephiroth, because he laid back and clutched Cloud’s hand within his own. It caused Cloud to inhale sharply through his nose, surprised by the gesture, unsure of its meaning. He glanced up, half-dazed, to find Genesis staring at him with a soft smile playing about his lips.

“Cloud,” Genesis instructed, still smiling, a reminder that brought Cloud’s focus back to their mutual task. Even while he spoke, the skilled instructor never stopped stroking, rubbing, twisting. Sephiroth’s thighs were tense, his body no longer holding quite still. His hand squeezed Cloud’s without thought. “If you crook your finger and feel, you’ll eventually find a spot that’s a bit firmer. Likely, he’ll let you know you’ve found it.”

Cloud returned Sephiroth’s squeeze and began to gently probe. The velvety heat was inviting, and he thought back on what it felt like to spear himself against the warlord’s hand under a hot cascade of shower water. As he reached deeper, he grazed a patch that fit Genesis’s description, and Sephiroth rolled his hips in response, a quiet groan permeating the room.

“Good, now gentle pressure,” Genesis praised. “Either constant or intermittent until we’re through. I’ll handle the actual collection.”

Sephiroth’s back was arching off the table with the continued stimulation. He tightened his hold on Cloud’s hand, and when he did, Cloud increased the pressure against his prostate, allowing him a modicum of control in his otherwise helpless pleasure. He took full advantage, deliberately directing Cloud in time with Genesis’s strokes, which were becoming faster, more vigorous.

Cloud allowed himself to fully take in the scene before him. The great Sephiroth, hips grinding against the hands of Genesis and Cloud, eyelids firmly shut and eyebrows knit together. Starkly outlined muscle rippled with waves of arousal. Breathing became more ragged. Tight flesh clenched around Cloud’s finger. This creature, who had been so terrifying mere hours before, now appeared beautiful. Deeply and darkly erotic as he rose quickly to his peak.

Sephiroth pulled Cloud’s hand to his mouth as he came, burying the sounds of his climax behind flesh and skin. The golden-haired SOLDIER felt his own cock twitch with approval as he reveled in the sensation of the warlord’s inner muscles gripping and spasming around the digit he held firmly within. Meanwhile, Genesis guided the tip of Sephiroth’s throbbing cock to a container, milking the man through his orgasm and neatly capturing the thick fluid that spurted from him.

“That’s it, Seph,” Genesis coaxed as Sephiroth sagged, spent, upon the table. As the red-haired man left Sephiroth’s side to wash his hands at the sink, he gestured to Cloud. “Well done, Strife. If you’d care to follow me, we can let Sephiroth collect himself while we chat outside.”

Cloud paused. “Yeah. I’ll be there in just a minute, okay?”

Genesis smirked knowingly and nodded before stepping out. Cloud took the opportunity to clean his hands and move to Sephiroth’s side.

The dark angel’s chin was lifted, even while turned away, a testament to the man’s proud nature. Yet, when Cloud looked at his eyes, he tried to meld his contrasting experiences with the information Genesis had given him. This time, within those fabled windows of the soul, he saw… something unexpected. Self-loathing swirled there. Guilt, heavy like storm clouds ripe for a downpour. The casualties of a raging war constantly fought between monster and man.

Overcome by emotion, Cloud found himself reaching out, running the back of his hand along Sephiroth’s jawline and bringing it to rest over his breastbone. Those cat-slit pupils shifted, barely peeking at Cloud before turning away again. Sephiroth’s strong chest shuddered, almost as though a silent sob were being contained. His lips parted and seemed to fumble at words, but nothing came out.

“I think…” Cloud started, his own voice a little hoarse and timid. “I think we need to talk.”

Sephiroth nodded, but remained silent. Feeling dismissed, Cloud ran his hand through the silky white mane once more and followed Genesis out into the hallway. He was surprised to find himself alone when he walked through the door, but he was happy to have a moment to himself. His thoughts were an absolute mess. There was so much to sort through. He scratched at his hair absently as he walked out to the kitchen, more confused than when his day had started, which he didn’t know was possible.

Genesis was waiting for him, a smirk upon his face. “You work quite naturally together, it seems.”

Cloud blushed furiously. He averted his gaze, unsure what to say.

“Given your inexperience and his apparent silence, why don’t I continue to check back on the pair of you from time to time? Perhaps within this week since he’ll be due again soon, in case you require additional help? He and I have been through enough together that I think I can get away with it.”

Cloud chewed as his lip. He had to admit that Genesis’s presence was calming, and he felt oddly comfortable with the eccentric SOLDIER. “Yeah, that’d be good,” he uttered, a bit nervous at what Sephiroth’s reaction would be.

“I say this next part with both seriousness and reluctance, Cloud. I was a bit concerned by some of your reactions earlier. Discomfort, I can work with. Outright fear, not so much. It is clear that something happened here, Strife. Between his _extreme_ brooding lately and your nervous tension today, there is no doubt in my mind. I won’t ask you to elaborate, and I cannot guarantee its acceptance. But, do you need me to confidentially submit a request for you to be transferred to a different team?”

Suddenly, Cloud felt lightheaded. His heart hammered in his chest, and his stomach felt incredibly heavy. Genesis was offering him a way out. Rapidly, his mind flipped through snapshots of his experiences.

_Sephiroth backing him against his own bed. Stop materia, halting him. Being bound. A ferocity, a demon taking him, pushing into him relentlessly. Fingers running soothingly through his hair. A gentle, almost desperate, nuzzling at his neck. Being carried. Being held. Being forced to drink. Being… fussed over. An unfathomable belonging, a certainty that they were more similar than different. Basic human needs. Food. Water. Sleep. Touch. Touch. Touch. “We all thought we were monsters…”_

“No, I think I’m okay,” he heard himself say, sealing his own fate with a confidence that surprised him.

“Then he is lucky to have you. May the Goddess shine on you until we meet again.” 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Yup, that happened. What can I say? I have a weakness.


	8. Golden Compassion

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Cloud tries to initiate the conversation they need to have, but Gaia, they're both terrible with words.

Sephiroth lay quietly for a while, naked and alone, collapsing inward on himself. Finally, his shoulder was blissfully numb. Yet his mind was anything but. Pain. Treatments. Experimentation. These were all familiar. Unpleasant, perhaps, but familiar. Familiarity brought a sense of routine, of calm. This made it all bearable.

Guilt? Regret? Whatever it was that happened when the golden, spiky-haired siren _held_ him? This was new, and it was unrelenting. It made his eyes sting and his chest feel heavy. Pathetic. Weak. Deplorable. And what did he crave to make it feel better? Those damn gentle hands soothing against his scalp. Screw Shinra for molding him into a monster. Screw Genesis for putting him in this vulnerable position. Screw all of it.

He took his time getting dressed, in no hurry to face the young SOLDIER who was proving to be his undoing. While he covered his body with his clothing, he focused on covering his mind with the armor of impassivity and iciness. With the practice of many years, he set his shoulders, donned his military mask, and walked in the direction of fear.

Cloud was so deeply lost in thought after Genesis left that he didn’t even notice the warlord’s approach. When words met his ears, he jumped, startled by the sound.

“You still haven’t eaten.” Sephiroth’s voice was steel, tempered to a razor edge.

The young SOLDIER hesitated, intimidated by the glacial stare and sharp tone, which had completely replaced the vulnerability he had witnessed mere minutes before. Yet, having just turned away his offer for escape, Cloud knew his options were limited. Therefore, he gathered his courage and tried to infuse a confidence into his voice that he didn’t actually feel. “Yeah, and we still need to talk. So I guess we could do both.”

This time, it was Sephiroth’s turn to pause. Talking didn’t seem to be a particularly strong suit for either of them, but, much to Cloud’s relief, the frosty angel lifted his head in silent assent. 

Cloud grabbed the untouched meal bar from the counter and plopped himself onto the couch in the sitting area, gesturing for Sephiroth to join him. He munched quietly while the warlord took a seat opposite him, rigid and poised, the perfect image of a proud warrior.

Between bites, Cloud tried to break the awkward silence. “So, who exactly is Genesis, anyway?”

“General Genesis Rhapsodos. Both a colleague and former rival, among other things,” Sephiroth responded, matter-of-factly.

“General?!” Cloud squeaked. “Wouldn’t I have heard of him if he were a _General_ of Shinra’s army?”

Sephiroth sighed, “Unlikely. He defected for a time, and I think we can agree that Shinra likes to keep their dirty little secrets tightly under wraps.”

It was a logic that Cloud couldn’t argue with. He fumbled for a change of topic. “Does it hurt? Your w… well, your shoulder.”

There was a glint of forlorn amusement in Sephiroth’s eyes at Cloud’s obvious stumble for words. “My wing, you mean.”

Cloud blushed and nodded, instantly convinced it was a rude topic to have broached.

“Not at the moment. Genesis was kind enough to add a numbing agent to the injections, a nicety that Hojo does not believe in,” Sephiroth explained. “I suspect, however, that this is not the conversation you had in mind, Strife.”

Wincing, Cloud finished the last of the meal bar in an attempt to buy himself a few more moments of thought. He wasn’t entirely sure what it was that he wanted to say, only that he wanted, _needed_ , to say it. Why couldn’t he force his thoughts into some semblance of order? Why had this discussion seemed less impossible when Genesis was here, when they were…. Oh. Touching. Right.

“Screw it,” Cloud mumbled to himself, ruffling his spikey hair. “I want to try something. Sit over here.” He indicated the cushion next to himself.

Sephiroth’s eyes narrowed at the suggestion, unsure of the intention behind it. Yet, unwilling to show even a sliver of weakness by hesitating, he repositioned himself next to the smaller man, his posture stiff, almost regal. The tension in the air resonated with that in his body, building to an almost intolerable level, as he waited. He knew he deserved whatever wrathful words were coming, and he was prepared to offer nothing but stoic acceptance in return.

Frustrated by the cold aloofness, Cloud gave an exasperated sigh. “You’re not going to make this easy are you,” he muttered under his breath along with a creative curse or two. His determination finally won out, and he snuck a leg behind the warlord. “Just lay back, okay?” he pleaded, nervous that, if he were wrong about this, he could end up with enough bodily harm even the mako in his bloodstream wouldn’t repair it. To emphasize his request, he grabbed for Sephiroth’s shoulders, coaxing the man to lay back against him.

Caught completely off guard, Sephiroth allowed himself to be maneuvered so that he was between Cloud’s knees, leaning back against his chest. Their height difference forced him to scoot farther down, adding awkwardness to the already new and uncomfortable situation. He resisted at first, unused to being embraced in such a way, but found himself unable to resist the strange calm that washed over him. Then, Cloud wrapped one arm around his torso, and used the other hand to guide his head back, scratching against his scalp and brushing through his hair. The faint beating of the younger man’s heart tapped against his skull, a quiet, lulling cadence. It felt… peaceful. Like what people called home, he supposed, though he didn’t know what “home” felt like to be sure.

“You were raised by Shinra, or so the stories go, right?” Cloud asked as he felt Sephiroth begin to relax, thankful he had received compliance instead of injuries. 

Hypnotized by the strange feelings, Sephiroth merely nodded. Raised seemed an odd word for it, but yes, he had been cultivated by Shinra to be their prized warrior. A ruthless, powerful killer that radiated pure dominance in every way. He could only imagine the sneers of disgust at him being coddled like this, passive and yearning for more.

“That must have been lonely,” the young SOLDIER pressed. With physical contact, the words came more easily, confirming his suspicions. 

Once again, only silence. A shrug of the shoulders. Lonely? He wouldn’t know. He knew no other way. Sephiroth let his fingers twine with Cloud’s, an anchor to the present in these questions about his past. Such a bizarre thing to find comfort in, really, the simplicity of hands touching. He hadn’t expected it to be so soothing when Cloud had first grabbed for his hand during Genesis’s earlier ministrations, but he distinctly remembered not wanting to let go. However, he didn’t deserve this, he reminded himself. 

“Why do you show me such kindness?” Sephiroth finally asked the question that had been gnawing at him.

Cloud nuzzled his face into the side of Sephiroth’s neck, earning himself a few moments to think. Admittedly, he wasn’t entirely sure of the answer himself. An inherent tendency toward empathy? Merely a classic case of Stockholm Syndrome? Or was it that unfathomable sense of _likeness_ and _belonging_ that he just couldn’t explain, a deep resonance that was beyond comprehension?

Rather than overwhelm Sephiroth with his own confused thoughts, he chose a simpler response. “Because Mako doesn’t replace basic human needs. Like affectionate touch.”

Sephiroth surprised even himself by chuckling lightly at the unexpected response, his shoulders shaking against Cloud’s chest. “That doesn’t mean you’re responsible for providing it. Especially given what I’ve done. What I am.”

“Maybe you weren’t the only one that needed it,” Cloud admitted. Then, on an instinctive whim, he placed his lips just above the collar of Sephiroth’s sweater and offered a timid peck, an assurance that it was a want and not an obligation.

Sephiroth froze. Affectionate touch was one thing. But what was this?

“Sorry,” Cloud mumbled, embarrassed at his own forwardness. “Thanks for taking care of me. You know, with the passing out and all.”

“I should never have let it come to that,” Sephiroth replied, voice raw. He squeezed apologetically at Cloud’s hand, not trusting in that moment to say anything more. The experience of being held was so foreign, but he found it was something he could get used to. His demons hadn’t been this quiet in a long time. Maybe ever.

Cloud embraced Sephiroth tightly, hearing volumes in the man’s hoarseness. “I blame Shinra for the evils they’ve committed,” he said, voice barely a whisper, “but I forgive you, Sephiroth.” And Cloud realized that he truly did. Whether he should or shouldn’t after what the dark angel had done to him didn’t matter anymore. Experiments, isolation, suffering. It was enough to drive anyone mad, given enough time. And Sephiroth had been _raised_ in it, with nobody to imbue a sense of normalcy except for the morally twisted scum from the lab. Deep within, Cloud knew Genesis’s words to be true, that there was good in the warlord. It would simply take time and patience and deep compassion to unlock it, things that he was willing to give, even against logic and reason.

Sephiroth’s head whipped around to face the young SOLDIER. He had expected many things to be said, but not this. Rebuke for his actions maybe. Capitalization on his moments of weakness perhaps. But forgiveness and understanding? Never. He searched Cloud’s eyes fervently for the glint of sarcasm, the darkness of deception, and found nothing of the sort. Instead, there was only honesty and caring directed toward him, and he processed it in the only way that came to mind.

Cloud could feel the depths of his soul being searched, could see the interrogation in that piercing green gaze, but he didn’t waver, resolute in his assertion. Nor did he waver when elegant fingers reached up to cup his jaw, pulling him into a tenuous kiss laden with a complex combination of apprehension, guilt, and gratitude. Instead he leaned into it, using his tongue to probe deeper, to pass comfort and acceptance from his mouth to Sephiroth’s. He shed his own fears and reservations in favor of his deeper instincts and desires and found that his body responded in turn. Afraid to shatter the fragile moment of mutual vulnerability, Cloud shifted backward, as though perhaps, in doing so, his stiffening would escape Sephiroth’s notice.

Needless to say, very little escaped an apex predator’s notice, and Sephiroth pressed back in acknowledgement. A hiss passed between them, its origin unclear, but its meaning inescapable. Sephiroth began to twist his body, but hesitated a moment as though asking for permission. When met with no resistance, he threw himself over Cloud, grazing his own erection against the man’s thigh in confirmation that there was nothing one-sided about the arousal.

To suddenly be under the warlord again made Cloud flinch, wary of the past, but his inner stirrings won out. Instead of pushing away, he pulled Sephiroth’s body close, frustrated by the lack of skin available for his lips to latch onto. Hungry with desire, Cloud canted his hips upward, grinding against the man above him. He couldn’t pinpoint when his fears had transformed to lust, when flashbacks had turned to sexual fantasies, but he knew that he _wanted_ this now. Part of him even questioned whether, perhaps, he always _had_ but had merely suppressed it under a thick layer of denial. Because giving in like this… it didn’t feel like surrendering to a stranger. Giving in felt like submitting to the pleasures of a long overdue reunion with one he knew intimately.

Cloud fisted a hand in Sephiroth’s silvery mane, desperate to somehow bring them even closer together, though their clothes were so clearly in the way. The feeling of Sephiroth digging into his shoulders and ribs, tasting his tongue, rubbing against his body wasn’t enough. He wanted more. Blindly, he fumbled for the fastenings on his trousers.

Sephiroth growled in response, forcefully knocking Cloud’s hand away. It was too difficult. Too much to fight. He couldn’t be patient. He couldn’t break in without break _ing_. The last time, his precious pet had neglected to take care of himself for days, had actually _collapsed_ because of his actions. This could not be allowed to happen again. But, _Gaia_ , he wanted to savor this moment in the worst way. To lose himself in the rhythm of their bodies rolling against each other.

If only his siren didn’t keep _tempting_ him! Couldn’t this blond-haired beauty see the barely restrained monster he was trying to hold within? The second time Cloud tried to pluck at his clothing, Sephiroth grabbed the wandering limb and held it firmly above the young SOLDIER’s head, where it could do no harm. Yet there was nothing he could do to keep his pet’s hips still, to prevent the glorious creature from rubbing the evidence of their arousal together, which he was sure would ignite an unextinguishable fire.

In an effort to avoid destruction, Sephiroth used his free hand to palm at Cloud’s length over the fabric of the baggy uniform pants. While acceptance and understanding and… whatever it was his pet offered him… were unfamiliar territory, lust was something he could comprehend.

Cloud groaned at the welcome sensation of Sephiroth’s hand stroking him, though he loathed the restrictive garments that were keeping skin from touching skin. He tried to free his hand, but knew it was useless. If Sephiroth insisted his hand stay put, then stay it would. This was simply the nature of physics in his rapidly changing world, and physics could not be denied. Instead, he let the rest of his body beg, wanting and needy for more.

Sephiroth dropped his head low against Cloud’s neck, drinking in the man’s very essence with each inhale. The man’s scent both soothed his sadism and incited his passion, a balm and a stimulant all in one. He continued rubbing at his pet’s hardness, struggling to stay grounded against the whirlwind of desire within. The kindness of this golden angel could not be repaid in the sins of a dark, one-winged monster.

A pleading whine met his ears, and it was almost enough to make his restraint snap outright. He fought for control, nipping and kissing at Cloud’s delicate jawline, pressing their mouths together to stifle the beautiful song that promised to lead him to his doom.

Confused by whatever game Sephiroth was playing, Cloud tried to speak between desperate kisses that left him breathless, but barely managed indecipherable sounds. Why would the warlord take him when denied, but deny him when begged? What had he done wrong? He tried to thrust harder into Sephiroth’s movements, to wrap a leg around his body, to do _anything_ to get _more_ , but his efforts were always thwarted.

“Sephiroth… please…” The words sounded pathetically hopeless, even to him. He looked into his overseer’s face, searching for an answer as to why he couldn’t have what he had been given so forcefully before. Torn. Pained. Such were the words that came to mind at the look on Sephiroth’s face. There was lust in the glittering green, but it was laced with an unbearable _sadness._

Despite the excessive friction of the scratchy clothing between them, Sephiroth was pulling him inexorably toward an edge, but it wasn’t the edge he wanted. Now that he knew greater heights, this paled in comparison, a bluff overlooking plains rather than the sheer cliff of a mountainside. However, this knowledge didn’t keep his back from arching. Nor did it keep his cock from throbbing weakly as he moaned, spilling warmth into his trousers and back onto himself in an orgasm that left him finished but completely unsatisfied.

Before Cloud’s body had even finished convulsing, Sephiroth had pushed away, getting to his feet and stepping back. His hands were fisted at his sides, and corded muscle stood out along the length of his arms. “Sephiroth… what’s happening?” Cloud asked, trying to picture just where things had gone wrong.

The glacial tone was back in Sephiroth’s voice, like frozen steel. “You’ll need to return to your quarters now, Cloud.”

Cloud stood, cringing at the cooling mess stuck to his crotch, and started to protest. “No, wait! What did I do? Why are you doing this?!”

Sephiroth’s eyes bore into him before the warlord snatched at his wrist and began dragging him through the apartment. With the strength of gods, he flung the young SOLDIER across the threshold hard enough that Cloud had difficulty keeping his feet beneath himself.

“I’ll contact Genesis about how to handle you. For now, I imagine you’ll need a shower and a change of clothing,” he sneered coldly before slamming the door shut.

Cloud stared at the door, completely stunned. The window of vulnerability had been closed with such force that it rattled the frame of his mind. He was unsure of how to react, but he knew the glare Sephiroth had given him held a dangerous warning, one he wasn’t certain he understood but knew implicitly he should heed. Swearing hotly in defeated aggravation, he stormed off toward the bathroom to strip out of his sticky mess.

Meanwhile, Sephiroth leaned against the freshly closed door, chest heaving with the effort it took to refrain from unleashing himself upon the object of his desire. He raked his hands through his hair roughly, pulling loose a few platinum strands with his pent-up aggression. The want and need to take and possess and fuck was far too great. Even if he tried to be gentle, he would only cause pain and suffering so great that it would literally take away the instinct to live, if history served as a teacher. Genesis was wrong. There was no good here. There was only the legendary warlord of Shinra, the most successful experiment the company’s heinous lab had to offer. A monster with the feathers to prove it.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Sorry, this one took a little while. I made the mistake of writing the next chapter first because that's where my mind was and then struggled to connect the dots. That chapter is currently undergoing some major revisions right now (thanks to my wonderful beta-reader: CoconutRum), but hopefully will be posted within the week. I can also promise better smut in that chapter since this was a little... shall we say... disappointing? As a brief side note, I just want to say thank you for all the sweet and thoughtful comments to this little brain child we're calling a work. I never would have expected the response I've gotten, and it's truly humbling to somebody that's new to writing any kind of fanfiction. I love this community on AO3.


	9. Break In Not Broken

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Sephiroth calls Genesis to help with Cloud's procurement, not sure he can trust himself to do it. Genesis and Cloud have a serious discussion about it and devise a plan.

Sephiroth answered the knock at his door without hesitation and welcomed Genesis inside. 

“Explain what you mean when you said you require my assistance with a procurement matter,” said Genesis, wasting no time on niceties. It was exceedingly rare for Sephiroth to request assistance in any matter, so he aimed to get straight to the point. Besides, he had a procurement experience of his own scheduled that he was rather looking forward to.

Sephiroth didn’t respond at first, clearly at war with himself over whatever issue was at hand. Even conflicted, he made for an intimidating figure, tall and lean, clad in his typical leather ensemble.

Genesis gentled his voice and reminded himself that it had probably taken every scrap of the warlord’s dignity just to reach out to a former rival. “Seph, whatever it is must be important, or you wouldn’t have contacted me. But I can’t help if you don’t tell me what the issue is.”

A deep sigh issued from the defeated-looking angel. “It’s Strife,” he muttered, raking a hand through his hair.

“Strife? The innocent, pretty thing from the other day? Your attendant?”

With his eyes hidden behind his hand, Sephiroth nodded.

“He seemed like he performed well, given his shyness and inexperience. Do you want me to go over technique with him again or introduce him to the proper use of toys? I’m still open to being a demonstration subject, if you need to walk him through something in particular.”

A faint tinge of pink crept over Sephiroth’s face. “No, it’s his procurement, not mine.”

Genesis could hear the crack to his comrade’s voice, and it pained him. Delicately, he questioned further. “What happened, Sephiroth? The records don’t show any problems meeting the first deadline. What changed?”

“ _Damnit_ , Genesis,” spat Sephiroth, bristling at the answers he couldn’t bring himself to give. “He’s scheduled in the next forty-eight hours, and I’m asking you to take care of it!” He turned his head away, unable to make eye contact.

“Okay, easy Seph,” Genesis replied, hands held up in a placating gesture. “I’ll take care of it, if that’s what you need me to do. But, is there something bigger at play here that needs to be addressed? Maybe some… impulse control issues?” He smirked with the question, but regretted it immediately.

Sephiroth lowered his eyes to the floor, a guilty admission that he hated himself for making. His hands curled tightly into fists at his sides, as though digging fingernails into skin would somehow provide punishment for his sins.

The Red General could see that his instincts had led him directly down the path of Sephiroth’s shame, and he backed down to allow the man to lick his wounds, knowing the guilt ran too deep to require additional rebuke. He reached out to clap a hand to the man’s shoulder, but was shrugged off. “I’m sorry, Sephiroth. You stay out here, and I’ll go into his apartment and see what I can do, alright?”

Silently, the silver-haired man nodded, not even raising his head as Genesis walked down the corridors toward the adjoining bedrooms.

***

Cloud jumped at the knock sounding from his bedroom. He had been patiently waiting since his last encounter with his overseer, feeling he had been dismissed too thoroughly to initiate contact himself, and he was quick to answer. However, he was not met with the glittering green eyes and fitted black leather that he expected and hoped for. Rather, it was Genesis who met him, an oddly thoughtful but compassionate look on his face.

“Genesis?” he asked, dumbly.

“Astute observation,” Genesis snarked. “You and I need to have a very serious discussion.”

Cloud’s eyebrows furrowed in confusion, but he waved the general in, curious as to the man’s intentions. Genesis shut the door behind him and walked straight to the living room area with Cloud in tow, as far from Sephiroth’s quarters as he could place them.

“Cloud, forgive me, but I’m going to skip straight to the heart of matters. Why is Sephiroth asking _me_ to gather your scheduled DNA specimen from you?”

The young SOLDIER almost choked on his tongue at the words he heard. He knew the warlord had _said_ he’d be contacting Genesis, but he didn’t think it would happen like _this_. Scrambling for words, Cloud finally managed to string together a complete sentence. “I think… I think he’s afraid he’ll hurt me.”

Genesis arched an eyebrow at him, a silent demand for additional details.

Cloud settled himself on the couch and indicated the Red General should join him. He squirmed a bit under the piercing cerulean gaze. “I’m not being insubordinate, sir. I swear. I just…”

Exasperated, Genesis sighed. “Sir? Well, you clearly chatted enough for him to tell you who I am… or was. Whatever, anyway, I’m not accusing you of insubordination, Cloud, and I’m not asking you to call me anything other than Genesis. I _am_ trying to understand what exactly happened and what _needs_ to happen going forward.”

Against pale skin, Cloud’s furious blush was exceptionally bright. He stammered a bit in his attempt to convey the nature of the situation without placing blame. “I wasn’t exactly compliant with the first procurement attempt, and…” He trailed off, unwilling to relive the moment. After a few seconds of silence, he ruffled his blond spikes in frustration. “I don’t know. He got kinda rough, I guess.”

Genesis held up a hand and interjected. “While Shinra may overlook many types of experimentation and abuse, Cloud, I do not. Rough is permissible, when consensual, but I assume that this was not?”

Cloud inhaled sharply and found himself suddenly fascinated by his fingernails. His face burned terribly, and he fidgeted with discomfort.

Breaking the silence, Genesis continued. “I grew more suspicious as our last meeting went on, and honestly, I wondered if I had wronged you by training you in technique and telling you all the details about Sephiroth’s past that I did. Yet, you denied my suggestion for a transfer. So, how do _you_ wish to proceed, Cloud? This is a strictly confidential question.”

Cloud argued with himself for a moment, but quickly realized that there was no debate to be had. He knew. From the moment he had clung to Sephiroth in pain rather than pulled away, some part of him had known. “I… I still want to be his attendant.”

“If you want to be his attendant, then he needs to be the one to work with you. My assignments will not coincide with your schedule all the time unless you’re transferred to my team.”

“I know! I don’t want you to…” Cloud bit out, his aggravation at not knowing how to express himself building. “I just don’t know what to do to show him that it’ll be okay. That… that I want this…”

Genesis steepled his hands, deep in thought. Finally, the mental lightbulb went off, and he scrubbed his hand over his face. “You surprise me deeply Cloud Strife. I have an idea, but you’ll need to hear me out and give me your honest opinion.”

Cloud listened rapturously, and the two sank into deep discussion about how, exactly, to proceed.

***

Genesis left Cloud seated on the edge of Sephiroth’s bed while he went to collect the warlord. This certainly hadn’t been how he’d envisioned his day going. Or any day, for that matter. Who knew that one pretty, blond-haired, blue-eyed siren would prove to be the undoing of Shinra’s most legendary angel?

Sephiroth was pacing impatiently, black jacket fluttering in his slipstream, when Genesis came upon him. “That was remarkably quick, Genesis. I take it your efforts were successful?” The deep voice was edged with anxiety, something Genesis hadn’t heard from the warlord in years.

“Not exactly, Seph. We’re going to try something different today.”

The pacing halted, and Sephiroth whirled to face him. “Explain.” It was a command, authoritative and unwavering, laced with displeasure.

Genesis straightened his spine, a reminder that, while he may not be Sephiroth’s equal on the battlefield, neither was he a power to be trifled with. “Come with me. It seems you’ve found a stubbornness to rival your own.” With that, the Red General turned on his heel, leaving the warlord no choice but to follow, his curiosity piqued.

***

It took a bit of coaxing, but Genesis finally drew enough conversation from the other two SOLDIERs to negotiate a course of action they could agree upon.

While Genesis busied himself in Sephiroth’s dresser, the warlord sat himself next to Cloud. It was a strange relief to be able to feel the man’s body heat against his own after their time apart. He couldn’t deny that he had _missed_ the affection his pet had shown him, pathetic and embarrassing though it may be. “You’re sure about all of this?” he asked in a strained whisper, still not trusting himself given his prior actions. “I might…” _Break you again_ his mind echoed.

Cloud grabbed his hand and nodded. “Yeah. I’m sure,” he asserted before reaching boldly up to Sephiroth’s face and pulling him in for a soft, delicate kiss that he had been craving since they last parted. 

They were so wrapped up in each other that neither noticed Genesis smirking over his shoulder and shaking his head in disbelief at the way this strange pair interacted. Though they were adults, they navigated their waters like inexperienced teens, clumsy and fumbling. A guiding hand was all they needed, and if it brought his friend even a hint of happiness, then he was more than willing to help. It didn’t hurt that they were both obscenely attractive, enough so that he would admit to having thought about them when he was alone with his own ministrations. Yes. _More_ than willing to help.

To make Cloud feel less solitarily vulnerable, they had agreed to be together in their nudity, with the exception that Sephiroth would remain clothed from the waist down for the time being. While the warlord had sulked a little at being singled out, Genesis had assured him that the situation was temporary and was only to allay any residual fears about loss of control.

Once undressed, Cloud grabbed shyly for Sephiroth, yearning for the warmth and soothing touches he had come to enjoy. Comforted with the knowledge that Genesis was present to keep him in check, Sephiroth relented, quick to cover his pet in light kisses and guide the small form back onto the mattress. He laid himself out beside the young SOLDIER, petting through blond spikes and nuzzling against that peaceful scent.

At a motion from Cloud, Genesis joined them, trying to be respectful of his position as a welcomed guest given the warlord’s possessive tendencies. He explored the young SOLDIER’s body with feathery caresses and took note of his responses. A tickled squirm at the touch of a rib. A quiet gasp as he grazed a nipple. Curled toes at the tracing of an ear. So very sensitive it seemed. It made him want to nip and play and tease and… _Oh. My._ He forced his mind to reign itself in. Perhaps he could see how Sephiroth had gotten carried away, even if he didn’t condone it.

Sephiroth eyed Genesis warily, a bit out of his element given the circumstances. Part of him wanted to snap and growl at this intruder for touching what was so clearly his. A larger part of him was grateful for his friend’s presence and looked to Genesis for direction… and for protection from himself. When Cloud looked at him and smiled, however, the worried confusion melted away, and he reached down to tease the younger man into hardness, content at touching and being touched by his beautiful pet again.

Cloud found he was rather enjoying all the delicate attention from _both_ parties, and it didn’t take long for his body to confirm its approval. He nosed affectionately at Sephiroth, trying to express pride and encouragement to the man who was obviously stepping outside of his comfort zone. Cloud’s determination to step outside of his own was renewed, but it was still with some trepidation that he parted his thighs.

Genesis practically purred at the amount of trust that the shy attendant showed him, especially given how little time they had shared to build any sort of foundation. He responded to Cloud’s signal, settling himself between spread legs and announcing his presence by touching pale, sensitive skin. Under no circumstances did he want to break this fragile trust by startling the sweet creature in any way. 

Once it seemed that Cloud was comfortable, the auburn-haired SOLDIER slicked his fingers and pressed them to Cloud’s entrance. Even knowing what was next, the young man inhaled sharply and winced under Genesis’s touch, still skittish despite his resolve to push past trauma. “Shhh, relax darling,” Genesis coaxed. “I’ll be gentle, but if it’s ever too much, I need you to tell me. Can you do that?”

With eyes closed in an effort to ignore memories of unwilling penetration, Cloud nodded. Resolve alone didn’t necessarily negate the anxiety of past experience. It only pushed him to overcome it in pursuit of the deeper closeness, the _goodness_ , that he had seen glimpses of in the warlord’s arms, that he so badly wanted to unlock more of.

“Speak up, Cloud. I need you to show me that you’ll talk with me so that I don’t hurt you,” Genesis guided.

“S-sorry. Yeah, I can do that,” the young SOLDIER responded shakily.

Sephiroth took the opportunity to lean in, grazing his lips against Cloud’s. The blond SOLDIER nipped nervously in response, all teeth and tremors. While the warlord was used to armies looking to him for leadership in battle, never had he been asked to provide the distraction of comfort, and he wasn’t sure he knew how to do so. There was no foundation for this in any Shinra training handbook. His thoughts fell back to the foreign sensation of Cloud’s petting him and holding him close, and he found he _wanted_ to return those calming feelings to this beautiful creature. “I’ve got you,” murmured the warlord quietly before lavishing his tongue against Cloud’s waiting palate, thinking to swallow the man’s anxieties whole. He caressed and licked and teased until he felt his efforts being returned, hot and desperate with an underlying touch of fear.

Cloud passed small moans into the legendary warlord’s mouth, chimes of pleasure that Sephiroth savored as they tickled over his tongue. He fisted a hand into the cascade of platinum that surrounded him, pulling them even closer together, until their bare chests rubbed against one another. His nerves were full of barely contained static electricity, the result of rapidly building anxious anticipation.

Genesis circled slowly, patiently waiting for the muscles to release tension and invite him within. Once Cloud was passionately locked into a deep kiss with Sephiroth, the moment came, and Genesis slipped a finger in easily. He worked slowly, with a practiced gentleness, pleased to notice the inexperienced SOLDIER spreading his legs further in welcome. Satisfied by the response, he withdrew to begin spreading viscous liquid over a set of silicone beads.

When Sephiroth took his turgid length in hand, Cloud rocked his hips into the blissfully warm friction, arousal winning out over nervousness. After being denied so thoroughly during their last encounter, his desire had intensified to a near unbearable level. It didn’t take long for a drop of precome to fall onto his abdomen, and he didn’t bother opening his eyes to see whose tongue licked it away.

Once Genesis determined that Cloud was sufficiently lost within the sensations of pleasure, he gave his silent warning and resumed his task. The two smallest beads slid in with minimal effort, causing no more than a hitch in already labored breathing, but as he advanced the third, Cloud reflexively pulled his hips back and away from then steadily increasing pressure. He allowed the young SOLDIER a moment to adjust, then drove forward again, halting before the sphere could be pulled entirely through so that it was fixed at its widest point.

Cloud shifted uncomfortably, but was unable to find relief in movement. As before, it wasn’t painful, merely strange and intrusive. Despite having agreed to this, his instinct was still to fight it, an instinct not easily overridden. A whine of frustration escaped his lips at his inability to flee the sensation, at his inability to accept it more willingly. _Damnit!_ Didn’t he _want_ this? Didn’t he _ask_ for this? For _more_ than this? His internal spiral of thoughts was suddenly broken when he felt Sephiroth’s hand leave his cock and rest on his face instead, drawing their eyes to meet.

“Breathe, young one,” Sephiroth rumbled, stroking Cloud’s jaw in an effort to lessen his apparent distress.

Soothed, the blond focused on his warlord’s face, the angular jaw, the pale perfection of his skin. He was able to draw a handful of settling breaths that allowed him to relax both mentally and physically. As the tension slipped away, he felt the pressure briefly subside. Sephiroth seemed to stare into his very soul, and he fixated on the gaze, deliberately loosening himself as Genesis proceeded to remove and insert the same bead a few times until he no longer met resistance.

The corners of Sephiroth’s lips twitched as his attendant’s initial whines of discomfort progressed to quiet groans of desire under Genesis’s skilled touch. The burning heat of want flooded into those piercing blue, mako-touched irises, and seeing it sent a thrill straight down his spine. He leaned close, nibbling affectionately at Cloud’s earlobe and gently catching the silver stud between his teeth.

“It’s okay. You can hold onto me, my pet,” Sephiroth whispered into his ear, warm breath sending a wave of goosebumps to prickle over Cloud’s scalp as Genesis repeated the process with the next bulb of silicone.

Cloud took Sephiroth’s words to heart and clung fiercely to the warlord above him as the intensity of the situation increased. His fingernails dug in, sure to pierce skin and leave marks, eliciting a possessive snarl from his overseer. Desperately, he began to lick, suck, and even bite along Sephiroth’s neck and collarbone. Anything to distract from the pressure of the fifth and final bead that was becoming too much, too overwhelming, more of a pain than a discomfort. It was forcing his mind back to before, with his leg hiked up, to the time he was helpless and weak and unwilling. The sharp, lancing pain. The relentless burn. The savage viciousness. The cries, _his_ cries, falling on deaf ears.

“Stop!” he shouted out in panic, half sure that his pleas would mean as much as they had before: absolutely nothing.

Genesis halted immediately, carefully positioning the toy to minimize stimulation. Sephiroth pulled away as well, panting and similarly panicked, hair disheveled and clinging to the sheen of sweat that coated his skin. Delicately, Genesis reached out and touched the warlord, a silent gesture of approval for practicing restraint and a reminder to stay calm.

“We’re listening, Cloud,” stated Genesis, assuring the young SOLDIER that he was in control. “We won’t hurt you.” His eyes flicked to Sephiroth briefly. “Tell us what you need. We can be done for today, if you’d prefer.”

Cloud’s chest heaved while he caught his breath, panic subsiding while he came back to the present. He looked at the two powerful SOLDIERs before him. Sephiroth was completely frozen, like he was scared to so much as twitch. Genesis was glancing from the warlord to Cloud and back, clearly ready to intervene in whatever way Cloud directed him to.

“I’m sorry,” mumbled Cloud once his heart rate had slowed.

“No, Cloud. There is no apology to be had. We are happy you said something. Are you ready to tell us what you need from us?” Genesis was patient, calm, understanding, and he put Cloud at ease.

Cloud gathered his thoughts, embarrassed by his sudden outburst. “I… I want to keep going. It just got too intense, I guess. But maybe… um. Sephiroth, maybe you could go back to, um, touching me again? That uh… that seemed to help.” He grinned sheepishly at the admission.

Sephiroth looked at Cloud, face full of worry, then back to Genesis as though for permission. He had sworn not to cause pain and distress again. This felt like it was coming dangerously close, and he was terrified of what may happen if he crossed that line a second time.

The auburn-haired man smiled warmly and asked a question that made Cloud blush. “Could you clarify where you’d like him to touch you, Cloud? We don’t want to do anything you’re not comfortable with.”

Cloud swallowed hard. _This_ wasn’t a question he had been asked before, and his shyness almost rendered him mute. “Uh…” He fumbled for Sephiroth’s hand, which, though it appeared limp, was actually vibrating with the effort of restraint. Cloud guided the warlord to touch his swollen cock, hissing in relief at the renewed contact. “Here,” he breathed.

Again, Sephiroth looked to Genesis, who nodded affirmation. “Very good, Cloud. _If_ you decide you’d like me to continue, will you tell me?”

Timidity seemed to overcome the young blond, but he found enough voice to answer. “Yes.” At the quirk of Genesis’s eyebrow, he elaborated with a nervous smile. “Yes, Genesis.” His voice was quickly silenced, however, as Sephiroth began to stroke him languidly, and he surrendered himself to the lazy rhythm.

The brief interlude had infused him with confidence. Proving that he could halt everything whenever he needed to made him feel safe, a feeling which served to fan the flames of his quickly waxing arousal. A mental barrier seemed to have broken, knowing that he no longer needed to fear helplessness, and it was mere minutes before he panted out, “Gen…Genesis. I’m ready…”

As Cloud’s mental barrier disintegrated, so did his physical restraint. This time, when Genesis advanced the bead, he made no move to fight the intrusion. Rather he threw his head back, arched his shoulders off the bed, and groaned loudly to welcome the stimulation. Cloud could feel climax on the horizon as the Red General took a bit of extra time to indulge his newly accepted pleasure, and he grabbed out for Sephiroth, not wanting to finish too early. Sephiroth seemed to understand, squeezing tightly around the base of Cloud’s aching cock as Genesis slowly removed the toy, waiting to move until the beautiful creature settled back from the edge and caught his breath.

Once Cloud’s orgasm seemed less imminent, Genesis patiently inquired, “Cloud, may I feel you one last time?”

“O…okay,” Cloud stuttered.

Genesis slid two fingers in easily now that the blond had been so slowly and effectively readied. He felt along the warm, velvet walls, deliberately grazing against the hidden nerve bundle within until the young SOLDIER arched and writhed. While withdrawing, he scissored his digits apart and twisted gently, offering a final sharp stretch that made Cloud whimper and bury his face into the bedding.

Sephiroth found himself growling possessively and glaring at Genesis in response to the pained noise. His nerves were being rubbed raw, his instincts torn between possess and protect, not wanting to see his pet hurting, yet wanting to take him relentlessly. The war between familiar demon and foreign defender made him itch beneath his skin.

“I’m sorry Seph, but you’re not exactly petite,” Genesis placated. “And he’s inexperienced enough that you’ll hurt him if he’s not adequately prepared first.”

Pain and guilt lanced across Sephiroth’s face. He was all too aware that Genesis was right. The protective instincts found a new focus to growl at: his own dreaded demons.

Cloud noticed his reaction and reached out to touch the warlord’s chest, full of affection and tenderness. “It’s okay, now. You’re not going to hurt me.”

Sephiroth’s next breaths were stuttered, and he blinked rapidly to remove the sudden stinging in his eyes. He placed his hand over Cloud’s, silently apologizing over and over.

To allow them a moment of private intimacy, Genesis briefly stepped away to clean himself off. When he returned, he gestured to the warlord to finish disrobing and lay back on the bed, as they had discussed previously.

“Sephiroth, we’re only going to bind you until Cloud is comfortable. I promise,” Genesis said patiently while he cuffed the warlord’s arms to the headboard. “I just want to ensure that you don’t lose control of your impulses. Cloud needs to take this at his own pace.”

Sephiroth wasn’t particularly fond of being restrained, especially in such a helpless position. His ankles were linked tightly but safely to separate bedposts so that his legs were spread and extended. With his limbs bound this way, he couldn’t grab or guide or thrust or do much of anything but lay and wait. Yet this was what he had agreed to, and he owed his pet at least this much. He consoled himself that the simple bindings were easy enough to break if he felt it necessary.

“Are you ready, Cloud?” asked Genesis.

Cloud blushed furiously, simultaneously nervous and excited at what was to come. Flashes of remembered pain flitted through his mind, but he tried to push them aside. “Yeah, I think so.”

“Go ahead. I’ll be right behind you in case you need to lean on me.”

Cloud straddled Sephiroth’s hips, centering his body over the impressive girth. He placed a hand on each of the muscular, lean thighs, trying to find a spot where he would have the most leverage. From behind, Genesis’s strong chest pressed into him, and he was grateful for the stability and reassurance it offered.

“Whenever you’re ready, Cloud. You’re in control. You set the pace,” Genesis whispered into the blond spikes, wrapping one arm around the smaller man’s torso to help support his weight.

Cloud nodded and slowly lowered himself, shaking, and with eyes squeezed tightly shut, until Sephiroth was barely through both rings of muscle. The warlord hissed at the warm tightness but otherwise stayed obediently still. Meanwhile, Cloud moaned loudly at the mixture of pain and pleasure, glad for the amount of preparation Genesis had given him. Despite it all, the stretch was still intense, a sharp burning that threaded up through his pelvis.

Nervousness and excitement and arousal had Cloud quaking so violently that he was afraid he would lose his balance. Yet the strong arms of Genesis squeezed tightly, holding him in place, promising to take care of him and help him through this. Soft lips peppered gentle kisses along the sides of his neck, and he could feel the Red General’s own erection trapped against his back.

“Relax, Cloud. Take a moment. Look at him, beautiful and powerful. Behaving so well, so patiently, just for you. You must drive him _wild_ ,” crooned Genesis, enjoying the sight before them both.

Cloud opened his eyes upon hearing the comment and locked gazes with the warlord below him. Genesis was right. His military idol looked incredible. The tension of his practiced restraint was visible throughout his body. A flicker of that predatory gleam had edged into his eyes, a brief glimpse of the mako-fueled lust Cloud had seen before. Yet, when their lines of sight met, he saw the shadow of a gentle smile ghost across thin lips. There was a vulnerable gratitude held within, a shy thanks for his persistent willingness.

The sudden warmth that bloomed through Cloud’s chest, coupled with Genesis’s hand that had snuck around his waist to fist at his arousal, replaced his pain with all-consuming pleasure. He gradually lowered himself until his hips nestled firmly against the warlord’s below him, throwing his head back to rest against Genesis’s collarbone. 

Sephiroth bit back a moan, blissfully buried within the young SOLDIER. _This_ was what he wanted, what he hadn’t trusted himself to pursue. But it wasn’t quite enough. This was a tease. He wanted movement. He wanted _more._ Unable to thrust, he rolled up against Cloud to the best of his ability, mere undulations that caused pleasurable waves of sensation to ripple through Cloud’s body.

Testing the waters, Cloud raised and lowered his body a few times, letting himself adjust to Sephiroth’s girth. His efforts drew hisses and snarls from the man below him, sounds of frustration and enjoyment mixed together. As he grew more comfortable, Cloud tried to smooth the timid jerkiness from his movements, and he noticed sweat beading on Sephiroth’s brow as he slowly rode the restrained legend.

“My, my,” teased Genesis, releasing his cock, which was now steadily dripping precome onto Sephiroth’s skin. “Becoming a bit of a _vixen_ quickly, aren’t you?”

Sephiroth was looking somewhere between pained and pissed, and he finally spat, “Genesis!”

Genesis smirked and brought his mouth up to Cloud’s ear. “Are you comfortable letting him go, Cloud?”

Cloud smiled at Sephiroth, feeling confident for the first time in a long time. “Yeah, I’m ready.”

Turning his gaze to the warlord, Genesis fixed his face into a playful pout. He wasn’t sure this was an opportunity he’d ever have again, and while he was trying his best to keep from pushing too many buttons, he couldn’t quite pass on this. “Ask me nicely, Sephiroth.” 

Sephiroth gave him a withering glower that could likely have killed entire forests. Yet after an exasperated sigh, he grimaced, “Genesis, _please!_ ”

Utterly tickled, Genesis unfastened the cuffs that bound the warlord and lightly kissed the skin beneath in apology. Once released, Sephiroth stared at Cloud in indecision, as though confused by his sudden freedom. Guilt and fear conflicted with desire and need.

Cloud leaned forward, placing his hands on the warlord’s strong chest in a gesture of reassurance. “It’s okay,” he breathed. “You won’t hurt me. It feels good this way.”

With a foreign timidity, Sephiroth grabbed onto his pet’s waist. He had heard Cloud grant permission, but it made him nervous to have been gifted such responsibility. Or maybe he was nervous that it would be taken from him if he did the wrong thing. Either way, he was growing irritated with his own hesitation. What was the point of having his limbs physically free if his mind was keeping him mentally shackled?

When Cloud lifted and lowered again, Sephiroth’s mental restraint finally broke, and he snapped his hips upward, driving as deeply as he could, desperate for more. The thrumming under his sternum had returned, the demon awakened. Yet, it was unlike the times before. He felt… in control. Like he could harness the beast instead of being overwhelmed by it. Like he wasn’t quite the tainted monster he feared he was. He didn’t know if it was due to Genesis’s presence or Cloud’s willingness or some other unidentifiable factor, but he knew that it felt _incredible._

Cloud looked blissed beyond belief, crying out without restraint, letting go in a way he never had, as Sephiroth angled his hips to graze that spot inside with each thrust. When Genesis resumed his position against Cloud’s back, the young creature cast his head backward, in search of teeth and tongue to occupy his naked lips. The Red General obliged, letting his mouth be fervently explored before pressing into the fevered kiss.

Sephiroth growled possessively at seeing Genesis locking lips with _his_ pet, but he quieted when Cloud’s hand came to rest over his own. That tender touch, full of compassion and caring, regardless of whether its target was deserving, soothed his soul. A soul that he hadn’t been sure still existed, if it had ever existed to begin with. 

He found himself chasing after his prize’s pleasure, spurred on as the cries became more intense. While Genesis steadied the young man’s torso, now glistening with the sweat of passion, Sephiroth took Cloud’s twitching shaft in hand, determined to send him into the flight of climax.

Bombarded by sensation _everywhere_ , Cloud couldn’t hold on. Tidal waves of pleasure began to crash through his entire body, stealing his breath until he was drowning in ecstasy. “ _Gods…_ Sephir… I… Hahhh!!” he yelled out incoherently as his body convulsed, as he erupted hot bursts of seed onto Sephiroth’s abdomen and chest, as he experienced what it felt like to _soar_. 

Cloud’s internal grip became impossibly tight, and the warlord felt himself quickly unraveling. He refused to close his eyes as he felt the deep pressure building, determined to watch every moment of his pet’s peak. A low groan escaped his throat, and he rocked his hips upward desperately. The combination of the spasming around his length, the beautiful sound of his siren calling his name, and the sight of Cloud coming apart while riding him was enough to draw him over the edge. He came hard, pulled into an orgasm that threatened to rob him of his senses.

Genesis held onto Cloud through his climax, as the man seemed barely able to hold himself upright in his boneless state. Nosing gently at Cloud’s ear as the sweet creature descended from bliss, he whispered softly. “You’ve done so very well, Cloud.” With a quick peck, he coaxed Cloud forward until the young SOLDIER collapsed against the warlord’s chest. Sephiroth welcomed Cloud into his arms, then briefly met Genesis’s gaze and offered a slow blink of gratitude before the Red General smiled warmly and climbed from the bed to offer the strange pair a bit of time together without his presence. 

Overseer and attendant panted against each other for a time, catching their breath, before Cloud lifted himself up with a gasp to reposition against Sephiroth’s side. They savored the moment, both, finally, out of their own heads. Free of shame, guilt, loathing, fear, isolation. Only a feeling of acceptance and belonging and _togetherness_.

Sephiroth was the first to break the silence. “Pet?” he rumbled, brushing through Cloud’s hair.

“Mmm?” Cloud asked. He was still drifting on the gentle tides of his aftershock, only half-conscious.

“I never thought I would say this… but, do you think we should show Genesis our… _appreciation_?”

Surprised, Cloud chuckled and embraced Sephiroth tightly, clinging to this hidden person he seemed to have unlocked. “That seems polite,” he replied playfully. “But… will you hold me after? Like you did before?” It seemed such a pathetic thing to ask, but he was tired of denying the strange want. 

Sephiroth’s lips curled into a true, rare, _smile_ as he buried his face into the mess of blond hair. “Of course, young one. I could think of no better way to thank you.”

Cloud couldn’t help but reply, voice full of mischief, “Really? _No_ better way?”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I have to be honest, these gentlemen have been running around in my head for a few weeks now, begging for permission to simply play. As a result, I'm going to put this fic on hold at the very least (and may abandon it given that it's gone so far left of where it started - I'm not sure yet) while I take some time to let them enjoy themselves in some just-for-fun PWPs.


End file.
